The Uncanny Interviews

The large door made a loud creaking noise as Dr.Gonnis pushed it forward weakly. He hesitated for a moment as he stood in the door frame, getting his papers together and making sure to keep his composure. When he was ready, he had entered the room with a slight limp to his step. As he walked in, he took a small moment to look around the room. The interior of the room was very plain and boring. It’s walls were painted a bland white, with nothing of interest on them.The floor was covered in a stone tile, and in the center of the room rested a four legged table, with two very simple metal chairs.

“I’m sorry to have kept you waiting for so long.” Gonnis said as he took a seat at the table. “I couldn’t find my papers for a moment, and I thought I’d lost them.” Gonnis smiled oddly as he told his excuse. Sitting at the opposite side of the table was another man, who had brown, short hair that hung down. He had a more skinny build, and sported a striped black and white shirt. Everything about the man seemed odd, he sat in his chair with a very uncomfortable position, as well as his face looking almost fake, with the flesh on his body appearing more like some type of fabric, rather than skin. He watched Gonnis patiently as he got his bearings together.

“Oh, don’t worry about it.” He said as he continued to watch Gonnis’s movements. For a moment, Gonnis just sat there, for he seemed to be more absorbed by his interest in the man’s appearance. He had made sure that he could get every detail of his peculiar face and skin before he continued. He suddenly broke this awkward moment of silence when he pulled up his papers and began to explain what they were going to be doing.

“So Carmon, as you probably already know, I’ll be coming here every second day over this next week to do this exact same thing. I’ll just be here to ask you some questions I’ve got on these papers, then I’ll leave you be.” Gonnis explained as he held up his papers for Carmon to see. Carmon nodded his head stiffly to confirm his understanding of the situation, and he had opened his mouth to speak.

“Yes, I understand that, but I have to ask you something about this.” He continued. “What even happened during that experiment? It’s all a haze to me now, and I don’t even know what happened to me.” As he said this, he raised his hand slowly in front of his eyes, as if trying to observe what it looked like. When Carmon asked this, Gonnis’s expression had changed, as if he had been trying to figure out what to even say.

“I don’t know how much they’ll let me say to you my friend, but I will tell you that after this experiment, you’ve become a new person entirely.” He tried to crack a friendly smile at Carmon, wanting to look trust worthy as he continued. “Now, I would love to give you more details about this, but we’ve got to get these questions done with for today.” He told Carmon, hoping that would satisfy him enough. Carmon’s expression remained the same as it was when Gonnis first walked in, but his tone told Gonnis all he needed to know about the answer he provided.

“O-ok, I understand, let’s continue then. What’s the first thing written on that paper?” He mustered, his tone sounding a bit more high pitch than it originally was, with a slight tremble to it. Gonnis could tell that he was worried, very worried, but then again, who wouldn’t be when posed with that kind of answer to such a serious question. He lifted the paper once more to read the first question that was written on it.

“Alrighty, so after you had woken up this morning Carmon, did you feel odd in any way? Possible nausea, or really any peculiar feelings in your body?” Gonnis asked, keeping his same friendly expression as he put his fist to his cheek, awaiting Carmon’s response patiently. Carmon stared at the table as he took a moment to answer.

“No actually…. This morning I didn’t feel anything at all. It’s like my entire body has gone completely numb. I don’t like it, and I want to know why…” Carmon said in a more quiet, shaky tone. Gonnis watched the way Carmon moved around after answering the question. He now seemed very anxious, as he squirmed around uncomfortably in his seat. Gonnis tried to give Carmon a satisfying answer to his question as he began to write on his piece of paper as he began to read the second question.

“Look, it’s like I had told you with your first question Carmon, I am only aloud to tell you very limited things right now. I can’t tell you why, but it’s nothing to truly be concerned about, you’ll be fine.” He looked down at his paper, then back up at Carmon. “Now then Carmon, please let us move on to the next question. The next question for today is about your emotional change. Ever since you woke up, have you felt at all like you’ve been acting differently? Like any habits started or stopped, any way you used to go about your morning being done differently?” After hearing the question, Carmon almost froze for a moment, and the room grew into an unsettling silence. Gonnis watched Carmon curiously, awaiting his answer. Carmon seemed very off for a moment, his expression remaining the same as it had since the conversation began. It seemed as though Carmon was just staring into nothing, completely zoned out in his own little world. After spending a moment in this disturbing silence, Carmon eventually spoke his answer to Gonnis.

“Ever since I woke up, I’ve felt much more depressed I suppose. I understand that I am in the room I am for monitoring reasons, b-but I feel so secluded. That room and this one are the only things I’ve seen in here… A-and you’re the only other person I’ve talked to here…” Carmon said this in an extremely shaky manner, yet he still kept to his same blank expression, his eyes appearing like glass shells when they stared at Gonnis. “I-I spent my whole day in there, as if nobody else even existed here… For a while I even thought of someone I don’t even know, but I still felt like I miss them. I don’t get it…” Carmon was now holding himself as he stared at the table. Gonnis stopped observing for a moment, and just began to write on his papers quickly. Carmon watched Gonnis scratch down his notes, in another moment of complete silence. When Gonnis had finished writing everything down, he suddenly rose from his seat, causing it to push back and create awful scratching noise along the tiled floor.

“Well Carmon, our time here today was wonderful, and it was quite nice to get to know you, but I must be going now. I mustn’t waste my time getting these papers together.” Gonnis told Carmon with another friendly smile. Carmon just sat there in those moments, not bothering to say another word as he watched Gonnis exit the room slowly, and in complete silence.

***

Two long days had past since Gonnis and Carmon’s first interview together, and Carmon now sat in the same bland room, awaiting Gonnis’s second entrance to the room. He sat in the same position as he last did, with his hands held together on the table, keeping himself composed. The large door opened slowly, making a loud creaking noise as Gonnis slowly entered the room once more.

“Ah, hello once again Carmon! It’s been a little while, but I made sure to come here early this time around.” Gonnis said in a friendly manner as he took his seat in front of Carmon, remaining in the same position as he had sat during their last conversation. “I’ve really gotta get these guys here to fix that door, the sound kills my ears.” He said with a bit of a chuckle in his voice as he spoke. Gonnis was getting his papers onto the table as he put the new question sheet on top first, when he had suddenly noticed something about Carmon that surprised him.

“Oh god, what happened to your hand Carmon?” He spoke out in a more concerned tone. Carmon’s right hand had a large cut going down it from in between two of his fingers. Carmon looked down at his right hand stiffly when Gonnis pointed this out. He just stared at it for a moment, as if he couldn’t see it there. He slowly looked up at Gonnis, with his same blank expression he always had as he spoke.

“I-I never felt it Gonnis, I honestly forgot it was even there.” When Carmon said this he just stared at Gonnis with his same expression. His voice sounded more quiet, and high pitched as he said this. Gonnis looked around the room in that moment, obviously feeling very uncomfortable.

“O-ok I suppose that doesn’t matter anyway….Carmon, let’s get to the questions for today then, shall we?” Gonnis said as he awkwardly picked up his papers. “Alright then, over the past two days you’ve been alone have you experienced any-” Gonnis was interrupted by Carmon who suddenly spoke out.

“Are the people you work for ready to tell me what they did to me yet…? I-I really want to know Gonnis,” he suddenly bursted out. Gonnis seemed very surprised by Carmon’s sudden outburst. One of his eyebrows twitched as he put his papers down.

“Listen Carmon, I’m really sorry, but I’m not aloud to tell you that right now. You need more time to get used to your whole new setting, and you’re not quite ready yet.” Gonnis said this with a very sincere sound to his voice. Carmon put his hands on the table slowly, and his mouth began to open again.

“But w-why not Gonnis? Why won’t they tell me what you guys did? Why are you the only one I’ve even seen around here?” Carmon stood from his seat and put his hands on the sides of his head. “D-don’t you think I should be able to talk to someone other than you in this place?” His voice shook badly, and rose in volume as he spoke, yet even in this moment, where his voice showed obvious anger, and it shook and cracked, Carmon’s expression remained blank with no sign of expression at all. Gonnis still sat in his chair, now shaking from Carmon’s sudden yelling and anger. He tried desperately to calm him.

“Oh come on now Carmon, please listen to me. We want to tell you everything you need to know, but the display you’re showing me says you aren’t ready to know yet… I understand, you’re frustrated. You’ve become part of this whole situation you don’t understand, and you want answers, but just give it time my friend.” Gonnis’s hands shook, and his body trembled as he said this. Though he understood the feelings of Carmon, he couldn’t help but be afraid of him in this situation, how could he not be? Carmon stopped talking, and his sudden outrage appeared to have ceased.

“I-I’m sorry about that. You can ask your questions now Gonnis, I don’t want to waste your time here anymore….” Carmon said as he slowly took his seat again. When Carmon was seated again, he simply stared at the table awkwardly, appearing to daydream as he awaited Gonnis’s question, but to his surprise, Gonnis suddenly stood from his seat again, making another awful scratching noise as it slid along the ground. He picked up his papers and turned to leave the room once again.

“Sorry about me suddenly getting up there Carmon, but today I don’t think we really need to ask you any of the questions we had. I’ll wait till our next interview to ask the questions I wanted to.” Gonnis walked towards the door with his slight limp once again, and slowly opened it with one hand. He turned to look at Carmon as slowly left the room. Carmon just watched him once again as he left, seemingly observing his movements as he walked out.

***

Later that night, Carmon sat alone in his dark room, on his bed, looking around the place he was in. Many confusing thoughts rushed through his mind, questions, so many questions that he wanted answered. He slowly looked over at a door that lead to another room in the place, and hesitantly stood from his bed. The only sound being let out was that of the bed as he rose. He stood there silently for a moment in his room, and then he slowly began to walk towards the door, a very uncanny motion to his steps. He stiffly reached for the doorknob, and pushed the door as he walked into his vacant washroom. The washroom was very small, with only the toilet, and the counter with the sink. Above the sink was a small, circular mirror that hung on the wall. Carmon took a very long moment just to stare at himself, absorbing all his uncanny features. He stared at the man he hadn’t recognized in the mirror, a man with a blank expression, yet so much emotion to show. He roughly lifted his left arm, resting his hand on his cheek. In that moment he thought only of what the hand felt like on his face, nothing.

***

The next two days quickly came and past just like before, and Gonnis pushed hard on the large creaky door once more. He knew he wasn’t on time like before, but hardly cared. When the door was fully opened, Gonnis’s focus wasn’t on the room itself, but his unorganized papers. After taking a moment to get them together, Gonnis looked up to speak to Carmon once more.

“Hey! How are you doing today my good friend-” Gonnis cut himself off when he looked at Carmon. A sudden jolt of surprise and terror shook through the man as he stared at him. “O-Oh my god Carmon, what did you do?” Gonnis said as he very slowly walked towards the table. Carmon sat at the table as usual, in the same position as his last two conversations he’d had, but this time something about him was wrong, horribly wrong. Carmon’s normally blank and lifeless face had parts of it that were completely torn apart. His entire jaw area was ripped to shreds, with huge tears of flesh going straight up both his cheeks, exposing his teeth. The flesh around his eyes were also torn badly, the two large wounds going almost all the way down to his mouth. In the areas of damage though, there was no blood, nor skin or muscle. Within the areas of damage, were metal, and torn wires, hanging out of his face. He looked like some old animatronic man, who had been mangled by some rabid animal. After hearing Gonnis’s reaction to his appearance, he slowly looked up at him, letting all his new features be seen. Gonnis walked very slowly towards him, his face showing pure disgust, yet concern as well.

“C-Carmon… Why would you do this to yourself?” Gonnis asked as he trembled before Carmon. Carmon didn’t speak for a moment, just stared blankly, his new face being incapable of showing any form of emotion to be felt.

“Gonnis…. I couldn’t feel it, I couldn’t feel any of it.” Carmon said in a shaky whispering voice. His words came out sounding broken, as if he were losing his voice. “You wouldn’t tell me Gonnis, and I had to know. I couldn’t feel it anyway…” Carmon began to lift his left arm to his cheek, and softly patted it. “See Gonnis, watch.” As Carmon said this, he suddenly dug his nails into the side of his head, and violently dragged them down, letting the synthetic flesh on his side drag and tear with them, exposing many wires and cables. Gonnis watched this in complete terror, unable to try and stop Carmon’s violent action. In a complete and total panic of the situation, Gonnis began to back up slowly towards the door, trying to leave. Carmon stared at him, still pulling skin off the side of his head as began to speak to Gonnis again. “B-but Gonnis…. I thought we had to ask questions, why are you leeeaving…?” Carmon said in his soft broken voice. Gonnis kept backing up as he reached for the door knob hastily.

“W-well Carmon, I mustn’t ask any questions today, b-because there’s no need to right now!” Gonnis trembled as he said this and quickly opened the door, stepping out. As he very quickly closed the door, the last thing he saw in the room was Carmon suddenly getting up from his seat, and awkwardly walk towards Gonnis. Gonnis slammed the door in this moment, and immediately ran up the stairs leading away from the room. He ran as fast as he possibly could up the stairs in a blind panic. Once he had reached the top of the stairs leading down, he closed the basement door.

Gonnis limped far away from the stairway, towards his surgery room. He limped into the surgery room and hastily looked around for a moment. Inside the foul smelling room sat an operation table in the centre, where the bloody, hollow corpse of Carmon sat. Gonnis quickly walked past it, trying his hardest not to look at it, but he couldn’t ignore the rotten stench it constantly let off. He had continued past Carmom’s reeking body, closing the door behind him. He now found himself inside of his own living room.

“Wh-what’s gotten into him? I don’t get what made him suddenly do this…” Gonnis said to himself as he walked towards the coffee table in front of his living room couch. On top of the table rested a half empty pill bottle the had a label on it reading “Chlorpromazine.” Gonnis hesitated for a moment, and picked up the bottle, taking out one of the pills and swallowing it before proceeding up the stairs beside his living room. He very slowly proceeded up the steps, breathing heavily as he climbed them. He looked down at the living room for a moment, seeming to see something of interest there, but he eventually proceeded up the stairs into his bedroom.

His bedroom was small, with only a closet in there with a bed, and his dresser. The room itself looked to have been quite old, and had very little renovation. Gonnis limped into the room, and slowly took a seat on his bed. When he sat on the bed, he found himself looking at a picture on his dresser of him and someone else. He stared at it for a moment, seeming to have been caught into a trance from the photo, he prepared to lie down on his bed, until something caught his attention that made him sit up once more. It was a sound, the sound of creaking wood. He listened closely to the sound, and his curiosity turned to dread when he realised the sound was coming from the stairs leading to his room. Gonnis sat up in his bed, clearly panicking as he was completely unaware as to what he should even do in this situation. The sound of the creaking wood grew louder and louder with every new step, and Gonnis found himself in the corner of his bed, completely paralysed by his own fear. The sound still continued, growing even louder, until suddenly, it stopped. Gonnis sat there, feeling the dread overcome him more and more as his panic did as well. He stared at his doorway, awaiting to see something there, and that he did. Gonnis let out a scream of terror as he saw Carmon standing in the middle of the doorframe, his skinny body almost being masked by the darkness of the room. With the darkness of the room, Carmon’s face appeared even more sinister and twisted. The metallic features of his face were no longer visible, and the only things that could be seen through the shadows were his torn jaw and eye sockets. He just stood there in the doorframe, not moving any part of his body, as if he were a statue. Gonnis scrambled to the corner of his bed as Carmon just stood there. Suddenly Carmon’s head twitched to look up at the ceiling of the room.

“G-Gooonis… Why. Why did you lie to me…? I-I thought you were with other people, why did you lie…?” Carmon said in a quiet, broken voice as he very slowly turned his head to look directly at the trembling Gonnis.

“N-no Carmon! It’s not what you think my friend, why would I lie to you-” Gonnis was suddenly interrupted by the ear splitting sound of Carmon screaming at the top of his lungs, a sound that could only be described as that of a wild animal. Gonnis began to scream as well, as Carmon suddenly began to loiter towards him, his skinny arms tucked very close to his body as he walked forward. By the end of the long night, the only sound left in the house was the sound of Gonnis’s horrified screams.

***

Later that same night, multiple police officers searched through the house, trying to find out what had recently happened. One of the policemen stood at the entrance to the building, writing notes on a small piece of paper. One of the other policemen had walked up to him, with a look of disgust on his face.

“We searched through the entire left side of the house, and we had found some terrible things in there. The surgery room had some dead body in it, looking to be days old, and that basement of his just lead to an empty room with a table.” The officer said to the one at the door.

“I see, and what of the man himself? You must have found him by now.” The officer at the door said as he continued to write notes. The other officer looked at him for a moment, and his stuttered as he replied to the question.

“Y-yes, we found him dead in his bedroom. His body is in really bad condition right now. There are obvious signs of strangulation, and there are areas where skin is missing, as if something had bitten the skin off…” He replied, scratching his hair. The officer looked up from his notes, a more surprised look on his face.

“I see then. This whole case just keeps on getting more morbid as we do it….” The officer at the door continued,. “And what about family members? Have you tried to contact any of them?” He asked as he continued jotting his notes down. The other officer seemed to not want to answer for a moment, but he eventually informed him.

“The man only had one member of his family left, his son, Carmon Gonnis. We’ve already tried to contact his home, but the person who picked up was his wife. She sounded so sad.She told us that Carmon’s been missing for eight days now, and nobody’s been able to find him…” The officer sadly said as he looked down at the floor.