modern AU. Credence attends a private school, though his home life is very similar to that of the movie and he lives within the church within an abusive household. His mother forces him to hand out leaflets each day that are anti gay, because she sees something wrong with Credence and wants to “save him”. Credence has been brainwashed and he believes his mother is right for doing so. The only thing he does not understand or agree with is her choice in men as she is dating Grindlewald, A man who she is blind to seeing is preying after Credence. His mothers temper seems to be getting worse and as it does so do the beatings, and soon the counselor at school, Tina, notices and alerts the dean, Graves. She hopes the man can get the boy to open up and seek out their help and admit what his mother is doing. (Credence would be in his last year of schooling, 18 years old.)
Credence Barebone was an outcast, a freak. But, he was always aware of this. From a young age his mother had made it quite clear that he was different, that his interest in the same sex was sinful and his very soul tainted. But, despite these flaws, she had said she would save him. Credence had to repent, beg for forgiveness. He prayed often, handed out leaflets confessing his sins and casting out the sins of homosexuals. He even took his mothers beatings. They were painful and left him sore and bloodied, but he was promised savior in his death. School wasn’t no escape from his nightmare as he had no friends, he sat alone at lunch (though he never had a thing to eat anyway), and once school was done he raced home to finish his chores. It was a laughable existence, but Credence made due and kept on.
Two nights ago he had managed to come home late, sending his mother into a panic and once home she had made sure to punish him. That’s where he’d gotten the large bruises and welts that covered his arms and hands, from his mother. Credence wasn’t allowed to bandage them, but usually his thread worn sweaters did the job of covering them. Apparently that wasn’t the case today as one of the counselors had seen and she forced him to the deans office, Credence terrified he was in trouble as Tina had forced him to sit, already having told Percival about Credence before hand.
“Mr. Graves, this is Credence, the boy I wasn’t telling you about.”
Credence frowned at the thought of teachers speaking of him, but he said nothing and kept his head down.
