Jacob's POV

I woke up in the early hours of the morning to something black and fuzzy tickling my nose. At first I thought it was Tina and Quennie's cat or something, but if it was a cat I wouldn't be able to breathe 'cause I'm pretty allergic.

I pushed the dark thing from my face. It was very soft. For a moment I thought one of Newt's creatures was on my face and sprung up from the bed. I peered around the room but couldn't see much as it was still dark.

I looked over to where Jeanne was asleep on her side. The soft, dark, thing I had felt on my face was—

I threw my legs over the side of the bed and knocked hard as I could without disturbing Jeanne on the lid Newt's case that still lay in the center of the room.

After Newt did not answer from within the case, I flipped open the latches and wiggled my way down inside, the lid shutting behind me.

I found Newt face down at his desk, face stuck to papers, asleep. "Hey, hey!" I said, shaking him awake.

"Hmm? What?" he asked into his desk. "Jacob? W-what's the problem?" Newt shot up from his chair, pushing the hair from his face.

"Um . . ." I started. "How do I put this—" But my voice was cut off by a kind of icey cry. "Did you hear that?" I asked but Newt had gone. "For the love of . . ." I spotted a snowy landscape from behind a curtain.

Huh, we hadn't been in there during the tour of the case.

I moved into the snowy area. There was a small, oleaginous black mass suspended in midair.

Intrigued, I moved closer to this black mass. It continued to swirl and I reached out to touch it.

"Step back," said a voice.

I jumped. "Jeez . . ."

"Step back . . ." repeated Newt.

"What's the matter with this?" I asked.

"I said step away," Newt warned again.

"What the hell is this thing?"

"It's an Obscurus," Newt explained.

I looked at Newt who turned abruptly away and headed back the hut. His tone was colder, more efficient, no longer the happy Newt I had first met. What was his problem?

"I need to get going," Newt stated. "find everyone who's escaped before they get hurt."

"Before they could get hurt?" I said.

"Yes, Mr. Kowalski. See, they're currently in alien terrain, surrounded bu millions of the most vicious creatures on the planet: humans . . . So where would you say that a medium-sized creature that likes broad, open plains—trees—water holes—that kind of thing— where might she go?"

"In New York City?" I asked.

"Yes."

"Plains?" I shrugged. "Ah—Central Park?"

"Lead me there?" Newt asked.

"Well, look, I would come and show you, but don't you think it's kind of a double cross? The girls take us in—they made us hot cocoa . . ." I said, thinking back to Queenie.

"You do realize that when they see you've stopped sweating, they'll Obliviate you in a heartbeat?" Newt asked.

"What does 'Bliviate' mean?" I asked.

"It'll be like you wake up and all memory of magic is gone."

"I won't remember any of this?" I asked, worried. This world was so extraordinary.

"No," Newt said simply.

"Alright yeah—okay—I'll help you," I agreed.

Newt picked up a bucket. "Come on, then."