From the earliest draft of Witness, I knew the story would circle around one of the most unsettling human experiences: doubt. Not just doubting yourself, but doubting the people you thought you could trust, the world you thought you understood. Doubt gnaws at certainty until you no longer know which way is up, and that’s exactly where Witness begins. I don’t know if it’s a human being thing, or a woman thing, but self-doubt it one of those things that plagues my life – imposter syndrome, and worries about whether I’m good enough run throughout everything. But that’s just me doubting me – I have faith in those around me.
For Sadie, doubt is everywhere. She doubts her instincts, her memories, and the motives of those closest to her. When trust unravels, she’s left in a world where every look, every silence, every word might be hiding something darker.
Mistrust is one of the most powerful engines of suspense. It destabilises everything. We live our lives assuming we know the people around us: family, friends, neighbours. But what happens when that foundation shakes? When a familiar face might be concealing a secret, or when someone you’ve always relied on suddenly feels like a stranger? In Witness, mistrust seeps into every relationship and every decision, forcing Sadie to question not only others, but herself.
What makes doubt so fascinating to explore is how universal it is. Everyone has experienced that moment when a friend’s story doesn’t quite add up, or when you sense something unsaid beneath a conversation. Usually, we brush it aside. But in Sadie’s world, ignoring those instincts could be fatal. For her, doubt isn’t just uncomfortable; it’s life-threatening.
Writing Witness meant exploring how fragile trust really is, and how quickly it can fracture under pressure. Doubt becomes both Sadie’s tormentor and her shield. It isolates her, but it also sharpens her awareness, making her see what others miss. That tension between mistrust and survival drives the story to its breaking point.
At its core, Witness is about what happens when the familiar becomes dangerous, when trust is a luxury you can no longer afford. Sadie’s journey shows how doubt can destroy, but also how it can save.
Witness: Coming Soon
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