The Interrogation
Inside a dimly lit interrogation room, we see a man tied up at his wrists and sitting on a cold, cushionless chair. The man is dressed in regular clothing but stripped of any accessories he may have had on him. The room is quiet, and he is alone until two officers enter.
“Here is some food and water, Mr. Savington; you must be hungry,” an amiable officer said while carrying a plate of food. At the same time, the other officer sat in the chair directly across from the captive. In his hand, he had a tape recorder.
The meal consisted of a biscuit, mashed potatoes, peas, and a piece of meat that resembled steak.
“I’m not hungry, but thanks anyway; can I just get my phone call?” The captive politely asked the cop who provided him with the meal.
“Soon enough, but you should try to eat; you look hungry.” The other cop answered instead. At the same time, the second cop posted himself by the glass window.
“Oh, you are the cop from earlier.” The man added.
“Yes, my apologies; let me introduce myself. Conrad’s the name, but you can call me Smith, and this man is my friend and partner, Lee. We are police officers for the town of Laketon.”
Mr. Savington waved back unenthusiastic. “You want something from me. I know my rights.” He added.
“I bet you do,” Smith said. Both men share a small laugh while Mr. Savington stares back at them.
“I’m going to try and level with you. We’re not the bad guys here. Tell you what, I will remove the cuffs if, and only if, you promise me not to do anything stupid?”
Mr. Savington pauses for a minute. “Ok, scouts honor,” was all he could say.
“Boy scout, nice. Let’s talk about you and why you are here, Mr. Savington, or can I call you.” He looks at the file, “Ben?”
Ben paused to think. “Yeah, Ben’s good. I don’t like being called Mr. Savington anyway.”
“Great, Ben, it is then. Lee, could you remove his cuffs?”
“You sure? If he does something stupid, the boss will have our asses.”
“I’m sure, scouts honor.” He responded as he looked at Ben in his eyes.
“Alrighty then,” Lee approaches Ben to remove his handcuffs.
“Thanks,” Ben said as he stretched his arms.
“Now eat, I insist,” Smith added.
Ben takes a bite of the biscuit as Smith starts reading his credentials. “Ben Savington, age 27, born in Augusta….”
“Excuse me, sir, but can you get straight to the point?” Ben interrupted.
“Oh, straight to the point type of guy, I dig it. Please understand that this interrogation aims to help you and your friends.”
Ben, not knowing what to say, asked, “What about my friends?
“I don’t know, you tell me,” Smith said with concern.
“Well, they felt good,” Ben said.
This interrogation was becoming attractive to Lee.
Confused about what Ben meant, Smith asked, “What do you mean? They felt good.”
“Exactly what I said,” Ben replied. “Inside my mouth,” He added.
Still lost, confused, and unnerved, Smith looked back at Lee and Ben.
“Listen, I’m telling you how it is, and now you next; I’m hungry,” Ben said as his face started ripping apart, revealing nothing but muscle, saliva, and blood supported by a massive set of teeth numbering hundreds.
“It’s impossible,” Lee cried, immediately going for his gun while Smith started peeing his pants.
The monster inside Ben jumps at Smith and drags him by his enormous mouth like a lioness carrying its prey; it makes for the doorway while Smith screams for his life. Lee fires away, but the bullets do nothing.
Ben smashes through the door and runs across the empty precinct, making a mess in their desperate attempt to leave the building. Lee pursues it to the exit when he sees Ben entirely morphed into a monster with claws, legs, a body, everything. He stares back at Lee, who stops moving, slightly afraid. Smith lies dead in Ben’s mouth.
Lee reaches for his mic when Ben runs away into the darkness.
“Officers, we may have a slight problem.” Lee swallows hard, stricken in fear.
The Interrogation (2021)
Copyright © 2021 Anthony Soto
For more shorts by A.L. Soto, click here.
