#interview with snigglette

[the-hatchetfield-chronicles]

6/13/20. Interview with Snigglette. Watcher World. 2:35 P.M.

EM: Good afternoon, ma’am. My name is Elle Marden. What’s your name?

S: Snigglette, of course!

EM: I thought Snigglette was just a character?

S: Well…uh…we Sniggles like to get really into character! It helps us put on a more snozzling performance!

EM: That makes sense. So what is it like working here at Watcher World?

S: Well, everything we do is for our boss, Blinky. please our boss, Blinky.

EM: So Blinky is a real person? Not just a mascot?

S: He’s both, really. He’s the mascot of the park, but he’s also the owner. He created Watcher World for his own entertainment. He loves to watch everything that goes on here. He’s…he’s always watching.

EM: I have questions about some of the lyrics in your songs, particularly the first one. Does Blinky really treat you that badly?

S: I don’t want to go into too much detail, or else he’ll get mad! But he takes care of us.

[Note from Elle: Throughout my life, I’ve grown keen at detecting when people are lying. From their expressions, to their tone of voice, to their subtle, subconscious body language. While not always foolproof, these mannerisms often suggest that someone is lying. The reason I bring this up: I believe Snigglette is not telling the full truth.]

EM: Okay. I am curious though; what is the target audience of your musical?

S: Blinky’s Watch Party is fun for the whole family, from snoozles to snoogs!

EM: I’m not sure what those words mean, but if the show is kid friendly, why do some of the songs have such violent lyrics?

S: That’s just Blinky for you. I mean—uh…

EM: [Furrows brow] What do you mean by that? Are the lyrics true?

S: No! Well…um…yes.

EM: So if you upset him in any way, he’ll really “spill your guts”? Is that why you were so hesitant to tell me about him?

S: Yes.

EM: And he starves you if you cry?

S: Yes. I’ve seen it happen to so many sniggles.

EM: That’s…that’s terrible! Why do you still work for him?

S: You don’t understand. We don’t have a choice. We can’t leave. When I said everything we do is to please our boss, I meant everything.

EM: Is that why you want to go to Snoozle Town?

S: [Nods] It’s been my dream since I was a little snooze. But as I’ve grown up, I’ve realized that dream might just not be attainable. So I stay. Blinky doesn’t want me to leave. In a way, I don’t want to leave either. Drowsy Town is my home. And I don’t know who I’d be without Blinky. What would my purpose be?

EM: I don’t know, Snigglette, but I know this: your purpose shouldn’t be dependent on someone else. It’s your life, and you should be allowed to live for yourself, how you want to live!

S: Ha. That’s a snoggle. But serving Blinky is the reason for my very existence. [Her face falls.] Speaking of, if Blinky heard what I said! He’ll snackle me for sure! I’m snooked!

[Recording ends]

[the-hatchetfield-chronicles]

Journal log; 6/13/20

I figured I needed something fun to distract me from my nightmare, and what better than a theme park? I’ve always loved riding roller coasters, so naturally I decided to visit Watcher World! I brought my journal as well in case I find any evidence while I’m here.

Mayor Lauter mentioned the park was home to the tallest rollercoaster in the midwest, so I think I’ll ride that one first!!

————

That was so fun!!! I just went around riding all the rides and it was a blast!! The Tear-Jerker was definitely my favorite! I would go and play games now, but I think Blinky’s Watch Party is about to start! I’m very curious about this Blinky character, especially after the way Mayor Lauter talked about him. Plus, I do love musicals, so I think it’ll be fun!

————

The show began with these creatures called Sniggles, who had fuzzy purple wings, purple antennae, and purple shirts that say “Blinky” on the front. They sang a song which was…weird to say the least. They sang about their master, Blinky, but the weird part comes with the horrible treatment he subjects them to? For example, the first verse mentions that if they upset him, he “spills their guts”?? And if they ever cry, they don’t get to eat for a whole week?? For a show that seemed like it was aimed towards kids, it was surprisingly dark. They also sang about what Blinky was like personally. He has a big red and yellow eye, and fur that “spills out and makes the town drowsy,” whatever that means. His giant eye turns red whenever he’s mad, which it sounds like is quite often. They said something about…”When the nightmare hits, our eyes don’t ever shut,” which made me feel pretty uneasy, especially after last night.

After that song was over, the Sniggles ran offstage to I think get snacks? One Sniggle remained onstage, and her name was Snigglette. She sang about her dream of leaving Drowsy Town and starting a family in Snoozle Town. At the end, she was about to board the train to Snoozle Town, but then turned around, saying she’ll “catch the next one.” Her friend overheard her and got angry at her for wanting to leave Drowsy Town. He called her a traitor and said that she was making Blinky cry. I was really feeling anxious for Snigglette, but then Papa Sniggle entered before anything could happen to her. He said that the town was overrun with Snuggle-Bugs, and he began hitting them with a mallet.

The rest of the show was kind of boring. They sang some more songs and told us more about Blinky, but nothing really stood out to me. I was curious though. I remembered what Mayor Lauter had said, emphasizing that Blinky and everything else was entirely fictional. It made me think that there was some truth behind this Blinky character. So after the show ended, I approached one of the actors, the woman who played Snigglette, and asked if I could interview her.