*[[Finlinson, Brian|BRIAN]] is a lot more ‘angsty’ and stammers more than can be realistically captured in this transcript. Throughout [[Finlinson, Brian|BRIAN]]’s statement, [[King, Melanie|MELANIE]] repeatedly makes general noises of agreement or acknowledgement.*
**\[Click]**
### MELANIE
Alright then. Statement of… [[Finlinson, Brian|Brian]]… er… ‘[[Finlinson, Brian|Fentinson]]’?
### BRIAN
Oh, um, it’s, it’s, it’s… it’s Fin-[[Finlinson, Brian|Finlinson]].
### MELANIE
Ah, right, sorry. That’s the… the handwriting here.
So. Statement regarding…
### BRIAN
Sp-[[spiders]]. B-B-But, I mean, lot, a lot of [[spiders]]!
### MELANIE
Ah. Good. A [[The Web|spider]] one.
### BRIAN
What?
### MELANIE
Date: [[2017-05-26|May 26th]]. And, er, go on… ah, let’s, let’s get this over with.
### BRIAN
**\[Confused]**
Is… Look, is everything okay?
*[[King, Melanie|MELANIE]] sighs.*
### MELANIE
Yes. Yes, it’s, it’s fine. Sorry, I just, I just don’t hold out a lot of hope for… coherence.
### BRIAN
What?
### MELANIE
Our [[Person of interest/The Magnus Institute/The Magnus Archives/Archive staff/Sims, Jonathan|Archivist]] is on leave.
### BRIAN
I don’t really. Look. I don’t really like staying in one place too long.
### MELANIE
Fine. Statement begins.
### BRIAN
Oh, um, I…
### MELANIE
That means get started.
### BRIAN
Oh, um, so… The [[spiders]], they’re just, they’re all over my flat. Hundreds of [[spiders]], and it’s freaky, like they just don’t act like [[spiders]]. And they’re leaving, like, web all over, all over my stuff, like on the sofa, and on like, on like, the microwave. Like, that’s weird, right? It’s not how [[spiders]] normally are.
*[[King, Melanie|MELANIE]] interjects.*
### MELANIE
So… let’s, let’s, let’s, er, take this from a bit earlier. When did this start? When was the first “weird” [[spiders|spider]]?
### BRIAN
A couple months? Nah, maybe a bit longer. Like, it, it started gradually, I guess. Like, y’know, I don’t like [[spiders]], and sometimes, sure, there’s one in the bathroom, a little web or something, but that’s normal. And I just, y’know, asked a friend to deal with it or something. And, and then… Suddenly there were more [[spiders]]! Like the corner of every room. And it’s freaky ‘cause there’s, like, different types of [[spiders|spider]]. And different…
### MELANIE
Right.
### BRIAN
And they don’t normally, like, gather in groups of different species. It’s different species of [[spiders|spider]], isn’t it?
### MELANIE
**\[Stuttering a little]**
I-I-I-I’m not familiar…
### BRIAN
I feel like they’re watching me!
### MELANIE
What do you mean? Are they looking… at you?
### BRIAN
They, they, they sort of move when I move. And, like, when I, when I go into a different room, I feel like there’s a, there’s a flow of [[spiders]] to the same room, or – But they don’t let me touch them, or, or, if I try and whack ‘em with a newspaper, they don’t let me get near!
### MELANIE
Right.
### BRIAN
And then… and the weirdest thing was when I asked an exterminator to come and look at the problem. They all disappeared! It’s like the first time I’d been, there’d been no [[spiders]] in weeks. And then suddenly, as soon as he leaves, they all come back! It’s like suddenly they’re there again!
*[[King, Melanie|MELANIE]] tries to interrupt.*
### MELANIE
Was… was… was that maybe the first time there had been another… person… looking at, at your flat?
### BRIAN
Um. Well, I mean, I guess so? But no, ‘cause like –
### MELANIE
Trying to pick this apart…
### BRIAN
– I haven’t, haven’t invited someone to come over ‘cause there’s [[spiders]] and webs everywhere. But like – but there’s – I mean –
### MELANIE
And the webbing…?
### BRIAN
– Just think it’s the other day, they webbed, they webbed my bedroom door shut. I mean, that’s weird, right? Like, enough [[spiders]] leave enough web to seal the door. And they trapped me in there with the, all those [[spiders]]. That’s not normal, right?! That’s freaky! That’s supernatural!
### MELANIE
But –
### BRIAN
That’s what you guys do, isn’t it?
### MELANIE
It does sound unusual…
### BRIAN
Like, the supernatural, right?
### MELANIE
Um… I mean, we’re, we’re an investigative… unit, but we’re…
### BRIAN
I just wanted some help! Like, I heard you guys like… I thought if you know about the supernatural, maybe you could help me deal with this!
### MELANIE
I… really wish that was the case.
### BRIAN
**\[Distressed]**
Oh God!
**\[Click]**