Statement #58699734 : {{Liquid Rage}}

Instructions

+click+ Statement of Annie Outraves, regarding her time working with Josh Stoke. Statement taken straight from subject December 9th 2023. Audio recording by Jonathan Sims, Head Archivist of The Magnus Institute, London. ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤStatement begins. ㅤㅤ----------------------------------------------------------------- "Right.. Annie, were you close with Josh prior to his... disappearance?" A- "Yeah! Josh and I worked together since... uh, i think March of three years ago?" "..Mhm.. did anything.. seem off about him as per your last meeting with him?" A- "He's kinda the silent type, so I dunno... He looked a bit worried though.. and that was, I'd say around the end of April 2022." "Right... did he... say anything about his... spectral attachment?" [Annie looks confused.] A- "His what now?" "Spectral Attachment, it's like... being possessed yet you are mostly in control of your body.." A- "oh." [She's still a bit confused, but nods.] "Anyways... are you familiar with the fears?" [Based on her expression, it seems like she's not.] "...Okay.. they obviously represent humanity's worries, for example.. let's use... the Lonely. It's the fear of self-isolation and being disconnected from everyone else... that's terrifying to think about.." [She shivers, looking down for a second.] "..." "Now.. unfortunately... there are 15 fears in total... and... I think that Josh was under two of those fear entities. The End and The Lonely." A- "... ... I think I know what that other one is..." "You do?" [The sound of a chair scrapping the floor is heard] "Can you explain how?" A- "One of the few times he'd talked to me, he said that he felt like he had some sort of guardian angel or... i don't know. but.... it's Death, isn't it?" "He was...a part of the End... wasn't he?" [Annie looks back up, shrugging. She fidgets with the cap on her bottle.] "...Josh had... many close calls with Death, and the End must have seen him as a good fit to be an Avatar.." [Silence for a few more seconds.] A- "... ... Y'know, you kinda look familiar. Have we met before?" "No... I don't think I've met you..... do you mind if I ask why you think we've met before?" A- "I... it's just that you look somewhat like my old room mate... we shared an apartment for a while." "...Who was your old roommate?" [Silence... even though The Archivist can't see her eyes due to her bangs, it looks like she's crying... The tape begins to sounds distorted.] "Answer me, please." [You can barely hear her answer...] A- "C-connor... C... Cigarcello.." [The tape stops getting distorted, as the Archivist coughs a bit] "Sorry... ... ...Do you want to keep talking?" [She mutters something that's inaudible to the tape.] "...Right... I understand....." [The Archivist pauses for a moment, before there's a sound of a door opening; with an echo-y laugh being picked up by the tape.] [Annie looks up, confused.] A- "Huh?" H: "Hi again, Archivist. And your statement giver... Annie, right?" A- "Y-yeah... Uh." [Annie sounds a bit nervous.] H: "No need to be nervous, I'm just checking in on the Archivist and his... situation." [Annie looks at her, then at him, clearly confused.] "Not a good time Helen.." [The Archivist tells her through gritted teeth.] H: "She would have found out eventually, mostly due to the smog leaking from your lips." A- "?????" [She's really confused now.] "wha...?" H: "Go on, tell her... or at least let /him/ take the wheel.." [Annie pauses.] A- "Wait... you and Josh have those same hair streaks...." [The Archivist nods] "Yeah, though I've got premature gray streaks in there too..." [She laughs a bit. Seems like she hasn't connected the dots... yet.] "Half the time, my boyfriend asks me if I know what a meme is.." [The Archivist laughs too.] A- "Oh, wow... I th-" [She stops suddenly.] "...What?" A- "... i-I don't want to talk about it... brings up memories.." [The tape once again starts getting distorted,] "I'm sorry... but the Eye asks for this info..." [You can't hear his words very well through the distortion. One can tell she's trying to fight it, but eventually breaks under the pressure.] A- "... i thought maybe thats why you reminded me of him.." [The Archivist's next question is cut off by a heavy coughing fit. Annie's chair nearly falls as she gets up, going to him.] A- "A-are you alright? wh-what's going on?" [No response other than coughing... Annie's panicking.] A- "?!?!?!" [The Archivist finally speaks again, he sounds... different, like someone else is in control...] The coughing fit stops, and ?? looks up. `i-i-I'm alright... I-` A- "N-no, you aren't, sir. We needa get you to a hospital!" [She doesn't notice his voice change...] -- I don't want to tell her, Archivist... She won't be able to handle this. -- (( continued ))