Work Text:
Statement of Milly Watson, regarding her experience with her school's theatre program. Original statement written March 19, 2013. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, the Archivist. Statement begins.
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I just want to say that I know it’s a little weird seeing a kid walk up to your doors and ask to make a statement, as you call it. I’m just scared and I need to tell someone who will at least hear me out.
I attend Raynes Park High School and I’m in my 10th year. I recently decided to join their theatre program since I always liked acting, whether it be plays or musicals. I like being a part of them. I also like meeting the people who’d star in them and becoming good friends with them. It’s very interesting to see the commotion that goes down behind the scenes and how differently actors and tech are treated by the director. But I’m not here to gossip about that. That can be a report on its own.
I joined theatre in September and found myself adjusted to it well. Although there are problems with our Director, Ms. Adams, I appreciate her work and how much she puts into each production. She has shoulder length red hair, gray eyes, freckled skin. She could get along with my mum well, which made me one of her favorites in a way. I also had two close friends, Maya and Gage, during the productions. Maya has dark skin and dreads with colorful beads in them and wore a sweet smile that welcomed everyone she talked to. Gage has scruffy brown hair, blue eyes, looks angry all the time but he’s actually quite shy. These descriptions are important later, sorry if they seem tedious.
We ran a production of Macbeth in the fall and it went swimmingly, although stressful. This spring, we’re supposed to be running Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Maya and I are part of the ensemble whilst Gage is one of the brothers. We spent three months rehearsing it and going over it and remembering it. We also had to go to set builds. I always liked seeing when the actual furniture was brought in and when the walls and stairs and such got built. It put the place together. I remember this one table I was intrigued with. It had a web-like pattern and it looked like it could split in a million pieces but I think it was only for the aesthetic. I remember staring at it for a long time before Gage snapped me out of it. Ever since then, things went downhill.
I noticed that Gage wasn’t at rehearsal the next day. I asked if anyone has seen him and they said they have and that he was out sitting in the auditorium. I went and looked for him but he was nowhere to be seen. I saw Maya, though, talking with another boy. He was incredibly pale. His hair was matted, thin, and blond. He looked happy as ever. I walked over and asked Maya who he was but she looked puzzled and said it was Gage. I laughed it off, thinking it was a prank, but she looked serious. After that, I just pretended that it was Gage. I didn’t have a good feeling about it. He acted and talked and did nothing like Gage. He was like a– a not-Gage. I tried expressing my concerns with my mother but she seemed to not believe me.
The next day, I noticed that Maya was gone too and the not-Gage was talking with another girl. She had long, straight brown hair and green eyes and the smile she wore only made me cautious of her. She introduced herself as Maya too. I didn’t argue with it and pretended it was her. No one seemed to notice the change but me and it scares me. They would talk and be friendly to me and act as if we were the best of pals but it was so hard pretending that we were. They are not my friends. They did something to the real Maya and Gage and that scares me so much. I tried convincing my mum again. She seemed annoyed but I was frantic. I tried showing pictures of them on my phone but it showed the not-Gage and not-Maya. My mum believes that’s what they look like but it is not. God, it is not.
Everyday from that point, one person would be different. I saw people change in different ways and act in different ways until eventually Ms. Adams changed. She’s skinny now with black hair and clear skin. I feel utterly hopeless. It reminds me of something though. It reminds me of how this type of fly looks like a bee, and although it’s harmless, it's been known to attack baby bees and other insects. It’s like an imposter that you notice but others think it's just a regular bee. I feel like the only bee in a hive full of bee flies.
I’m too afraid to go to school tomorrow. I don’t know what will happen to me but if I stay home, I can’t help but wonder if they’ll find me and my mum there and hurt us. I mean, it’s not like I have a choice anyway. I have to go on with the show and give my performance no matter how small it is. But if I do change, just know this. I have blonde hair in a ponytail usually. My eyes are light brown. I have a mole on my neck and chin. My cheekbones are starting to show. I am petite and small. I wear rainbow looms on both my arms. I know how to speak spanish. And a fun fact is that I used to have a teddy bear named Stuffington that I lost because he was accidentally thrown in the trash.
I don’t know how you guys work but please check in on me this week? Tomorrow? I’m so scared. I don’t want to get hurt.
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End Statement
Interesting how a child gave a statement requesting to keep an eye on her school yet this has been tucked in the back of the archives for a few years now. Another case with the NotThem but I find it odd how there seemed to be multiple NotThems.
I asked Martin to see if Raynes Park High School knew of anything relating to their production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. According to them, it ran for four days and seemed to gain neutral responses from the audience. After that, Ms. Adams quit her job that year and not much has been heard from the kids starring in it.
Martin has even located Milly Watson’s house, though I do not know how, and has stated that her mother has provided him with an all cast photo of the production and a plea for him to “never see her or bring Milly up again.” In the photo is Ms. Adams and her cast. On the bottom right of the photo is Milly in her costume. She has curly black hair, a round face, dark brown eyes, and freckles. This greatly differs from her original description and I have a feeling I might know what happened to her the day after she wrote her statement.
Recording Ends.
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