That evening, Ma told us we were going to talk to Mr. Shaw. Modesty, Chastity, and I each took a few leaflets before we left the church to meet with Mr. Shaw's younger son, Langdon. He seemed eager for us to come to his father's office.
"Alright, I think we're good to go!" he said as he grabbed a few photographs off his desk and led the four of us into an elevator. "My father's office is on the top floor, and people aren't usually allowed to see him in his office, but I am. Just stick with me." He was obviously excited that we were there and really wanted to show off.
The doors opened at the top floor and we stepped out into a large room crowded with journalists. "...and so this is the newsroom." I took off my black hat and smoothed out my hair, trying to at least make a good impression. Being around that many people at once also made me nervous.
"Let's go!" Langdon quickly walked us through the rows of writers, talking to them as we passed. "Hey, how are you? Make way for the Barebones! Now, they're just putting the papers to bed, as they say."
As we approached the set of doors leading to Mr. Shaw's office, his assistant stood up and tried to intercept Langdon. He had clearly interrupted many meetings before this one.
"Mr. Shaw, sir, he's with the senator—"
"Never mind that, Barker, I wanna see my father!" Langdon forced his way into the office, where Mr. Shaw and his older son were talking. I grew more uncomfortable as I realized Senator Shaw probably remembered bumping into me on the sidewalk earlier that day.
"I'm so sorry, Mr. Shaw, but your son insisted—" his assistant started to apologize.
"Father, you're going to want to hear this." Rushing into the room, Langdon proceeded to lay out several pictures on Mr. Shaw's desk. I instantly knew what they were — photographs from each of the times I had destroyed something in the past few months. "I've got something huge!" When I realized what was going on, I wanted to get out of there more than ever.
Luckily, Mr. Shaw did not seem interested in any of it. "Your brother and I are busy here, Langdon. Working on his campaign. We don't have time for this."
Ignoring his father, Langdon continued, "This is Mary Lou Barebone from the New Salem Philanthropic Society, and she's got a big story for you!"
"Oh, she has, has she?"
"There's strange things going on all over the city. The people behind this—they are not like you and me. This is witchcraft, don't you see."
"Langdon."
"She doesn't want any money."
Mr. Shaw stood next to him in front of the desk. "Then either her story is worthless, or she's lying about the cost. Nobody gives away anything valuable for free."
"You are right, Mr. Shaw," Ma now joined in the conversation. "What we desire is infinitely more valuable than money: It's your influence. Millions of people read your newspapers and they need to be made aware about this danger."
"The crazy disturbances in the subway—just look at the pictures!" Langdon tried to show his father the evidence, but Mr. Shaw decided to end the interruption.
"I'd like you and your friends to leave."
"No, you're missing a trick here. Just look at the evidence—"
"Really."
"Langdon. Just listen to Father and go," Senator Shaw added. Already annoyed by his little brother, he turned to look at me. "And take the freaks with you."
Anger built up inside of me, but I managed to control it.
"This is Father's office, not yours, and I'm sick of this every time I walk in here…" Langdon protested.
"That's it—thank you." Mr. Shaw motioned for us to leave.
By then, everyone in the newsroom was quiet. Ma tried to be calm and polite despite being rejected. "We hope you'll reconsider, Mr. Shaw. We're not difficult to find. Until then, we thank you for your time."
Ma began to lead us out of the office, but as I turned to follow her, I dropped one of the NSPS leaflets. Senator Shaw picked it up off the ground, glancing at the picture of witches on the front. "Hey, boy. You dropped something." He walked up next to me and crumpled the leaflet before putting it in my hand. "Here you go, freak—why don't you put that in the trash where you all belong."
My hatred for Senator Shaw filled every part of my body, but I managed to calmly walk back out into the newsroom. Modesty held my hand as we left. She was the only reason I didn't kill the senator right then and there.
As we made our way back to the church, we passed the Woolworth Building, and I remembered that Graves had told me to meet him there one night within the next week. The problem was that he hadn't told me which day, so I had to make an excuse to be there every night.
After dinner, which consisted of the leftover soup from lunch, I asked Ma if I could stay out on the sidewalk for a while. Taking a few leaflets to cover my true intentions for staying out late, I headed out the large front doors.
"Credence," I heard her call from inside. I paused and turned to look at her. "Be back here in an hour, no later."
I nodded and quickly shut the doors behind me. Finally on my own, I rushed down the sidewalk, only slowing down when the Woolworth building came into view. There was no sign of Graves, so I passed the time trying to pass out the leaflets in my hand.
I began to worry when I didn't see Graves for a while, but I finally spotted him across the road and hurried across the street to meet him. He motioned for me to follow him into a dark alleyway.
I wanted to tell him about Senator Shaw, but I couldn't seem to find the words.
"You're upset," he noticed. "It's your mother again. Somebody's said something—what did they say? Tell me."
"Do you think I'm a freak?"
"No—I think you're a very special young man or I wouldn't have asked you to help me, now would I?" Graves placed his hand on my arm, startling me for a moment. No one had ever really cared that much about me…
"Have you any news?" he asked, changing the subject. I still wasn't sure if revealing my power to him was the right move, so I tried to cover for myself.
"I'm still looking. Mr. Graves, if I knew whether it was a girl or boy—"
"My vision showed only the child's immense power. He or she is no older than ten, and I saw this child in close proximity to your mother—she I saw so plainly."
I thought of the crowds of children that stopped by the church for lunch every day. "That could be any one of hundreds."
"There is something else. Something I haven't told you," Graves added. "I saw you beside me in New York. You're the one that gains this child's trust. You are the key—I saw this. You want to join the wizarding world. I want those things too, Credence. I want them for you. So find the child. Find the child and we'll all be free."