Interviewing The Angel [Short Story]

A strange military unit kidnaps Iris and forces her to interview a being that claims to be an Angel. But soon, Iris realizes she is the one being tested.

The stark fluorescent washroom lights made Iris look how she felt. “Why did I skimp on makeup today,” she muttered as she gazed into her exhausted reflection’s glazed eyes. The last few hours had been a nightmarish rollercoaster that had left Iris unsure if she was still experiencing reality or if she had fallen down the stairs while leaving her office, meaning that everything since then was a strange fantasy, dreamed up by her misfiring neurons.

Before this, the day had been boring, sure. But a predictable, domestic form of boring where nothing good had happened, but nothing terrible had happened either. Iris had been leaving work, desperate for the numbing embrace of streaming services and cheap noodles, only for a man to grab her from behind and shove a bag over her head. After being dragged around in the dark for what felt like hours, she had found herself here. A stark complex of rooms and corridors that seemed to be a military installation of some form. Or at least, she presumed it was mostly because everyone aside from her seemed to be wearing a militaristic uniform.

“Are you ready?” Came a voice from the other side of the bathroom, yanking Iris from her thoughts. She turned and saw a man standing in the doorway, clad in the uniform everyone else in the building was wearing.

Iris took a deep breath and considered her response. Part of her wanted to scream and run for her life, but she realized that was a futile move that would only make this terrible situation even worse. “I don’t really know why I’m even here,” replied Iris after considering her response for a few seconds and coming up with nothing better.

“You’ll be briefed in a moment,” replied the man firmly as he turned and gestured towards the open door. Iris didn’t fight or question the statement and walked towards and through the faded green door and followed the man through the labyrinth of corridors.

As she followed the man, Iris tried to learn what the point of this building was. Everything seemed so sterile, so plain. It was a mass of infinitely branching beige corridors leading off from one another, each covered with various black doors. It seemed impossible to navigate, yet the man leading her didn’t have an issue finding where he was going, suggesting a pattern was hidden inside this mess of architecture.

However, as they continued to walk, Iris started to understand the building’s layout, especially once she realized that it had been deliberately designed to confuse outsiders who somehow stumbled inside. Eventually, the man stopped by a black door and pushed it open before gesturing toward Iris. Once again, Iris went in the door without question, keen to not upset her captors.

---

Once inside, Iris quickly realized this wasn’t any regular office or barracks. This was clearly an interrogation room. She knew this because a window looking into another room was opposite the door she entered through. Plus, the other walls were lined with various monitors and computers.

Iris’ breaths became quick and ragged as she started to panic. She wanted to say something, to beg these people to let her go, but before she could get a word out, the man shouted at the others wandering around the room. “Asset has arrived, Sir!” He boomed, his voice bouncing off the room’s brick walls. Instantly, the other people in the room stopped moving and turned to stare at Iris.

“I,” mumbled Iris, desperate to fill the silence. However, she couldn’t get any words out. Her mouth was as dry as stone. A man broke away from the others and quickly walked towards her. Iris presumed he must be in charge of this operation as the front of his uniform was covered in emblems and badges. However, Iris didn’t recognize any of them, which only increased her anxiety.

“Iris Knight,” said the man firmly.

“Yes?” Nodded Iris, her pounding heart echoing around her skull like an emergency alert.

“Iris Knight. Your degree is in psychology. Am I correct?” Continued the man, clearly not caring about Iris’ obviously agitated state.

“Yes. Yes, Sir,” replied Iris, stumbling over her words as she did.

“We know.” Nodded the man as he motioned to one of the men at the side of the room. “But your country needs you, and by God, you will aid your country. If it tries anything, the Go Phrase is Kentucky.”

Iris’ heart was now racing like a derailing freight train. Every word that exited the man’s mouth further convinced her that this was clearly a hallucination. She was obviously in the ICU in the real world, being kept in a medically induced coma due to a horrible accident. That was the only explanation. This whole thing felt too surreal. Stuff like this didn’t happen to girls like her.

“In that room is an extraterrestrial being that refers to itself as an Angel.” Continued the man as he motioned to the room beyond the window. “You are tasked with interviewing it and completing this intake form. I’m sure you know how to use one of these. Same as you would have been trained to use when doing committals.”

“Sir,” interjected Iris. “I never really did those,” she said, talking as quickly as she could in a futile attempt to get as much out as possible before being interrupted. However, she was once again cut off before being able to finish a single thought.

“It’s fine. You know the procedure.” Said the man firmly as he thrust the clipboard into Iris’ hands.

“But,” mumbled Iris. “Why me?”

“The thing said it would only talk to you.” Sighed the man, his practiced composure cracking for just a moment as a look of frustration washed across his face. “Told us your address and where to find you.”

“How?!” Shouted Iris, her throat burning due to the sudden jump in volume. “I don’t know what is going on?!”

“We know.” Nodded the man as he motioned to one of the men at the side of the room. “But your country needs you, and by God, you will aid your country. If it tries anything, the Go Phrase is Kentucky.”

“Go phrase?” Asked Iris as she felt someone put their hands on her back and push her towards the door to the other room.

“We will come in there and kill the subject.” Replied the man as he turned and walked over to the monitors. Iris wanted to dig her heels in and stop moving, but it was no good. The men were much stronger than she was, and it was clear if she fought back, they would react violently, likely putting both her and this other being in jeopardy.

As she moved closer to the door, Iris reflexively braced herself, unsure of what was waiting for her on the other side. When she got within a few feet of the door, it swung open automatically, allowing Iris to get a better view of the inside. Suddenly, the hands on her back shoved her forward, causing her to stumble into the interrogation area. Iris would have turned around to check what happened, but the sound of the door slamming shut behind her made her realize it was pointless.

---

Iris gathered the clipboard from the floor and took a deep breath before getting up, doing her best to dust herself off as she did. If she was honest, she was trying to put off looking at this so-called angel for as long as possible, fearing what it might look like.

But, before Iris could compose herself, she heard a voice from the other side of the small room. “Hello,” said the being in a surprisingly human and oddly happy tone, despite the situation. Iris turned to face the metal table in the center of the room, only to be shocked by what she saw. Sat on one of the chairs was a beautiful woman, one with deep green eyes and long-flowing red hair.

“You’re,” started Iris, a million thoughts rushing to her brain at once, causing her mind to grind to a halt. “You’re a human?” She said, utterly bemused by what she was seeing.

“I look like one, yes.” Smiled the woman as she gestured to a seat on the other side of the table. “But I must admit, I only took this form to be pleasing to your eye. I understand that is a terrible way to start a therapeutic relationship. Fraud. But I thought it was for the best in this case.”

“Right,” said Iris as she sat at the table. It was odd, she knew that statement sounded ludicrous, but something about the woman’s appearance made it weirdly easy to accept her deception. That, or she had finally completely disassociated after the stress of the last few hours.

“I understand,” continued the woman, almost like she was reading Iris’ mind. “But trust me. No harm will come to you. I know it. You have my word.” As the woman spoke, Iris suddenly realized why the woman made her feel so strange. While the woman was beautiful, things about her were slightly off, her eyes were a little too vibrant, the hairs on her head were a little too thick, and it looked like she had more than the usual number of teeth in her mouth.

“They said,” started Iris. “That you asked for me.”

“I did,” nodded the woman as she reached out and touched Iris’ hand. “You’re wonderful.”

Iris’ tensed up at the touch. Not only was she confused and slightly intimidated by the woman, but something about her skin felt odd, almost like it was slightly too sticky to be actual human skin. “How did you,” she started, only for the woman to interject.

“I. Well, we. View your history,” began the woman, clearly considering every word. “From the outside. So we can see it all. From the very first day to the very last. I know you’re someone who would understand me.”

“Understand you?” Asked Iris as she looked towards the window, only to realize it was one way, meaning she had no idea how the military people were reacting to this strange conversation.

“I know. It’s hard to follow.” Smiled the woman, once again revealing her overly-full mouth. “But I promise you, this will be okay.”

Iris wanted to sit quietly and attempt to process what she had just heard. This situation was so odd, but at the same time, some small part of Iris’ brain felt like it was about to fully work out what this was all about. However, no matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t make the final leap of logic, it was like the answer was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t get it to come out.

However, Iris quickly realized that the people outside likely wouldn’t be happy if she stalled forever, so she picked up the clipboard and looked over the forms while shaking herself out of her confused fugue state. To his credit, the man was right. This looked a lot like the forms she had handled back in school, even if there were some fields she didn’t recognize.

After a few seconds of review, Iris tapped the first field of the page with the pen and took a deep breath, trying to take on the demeanor she used while doing this in school. “Name?”

“Well,” chuckled the woman. “I don’t think I have one in your tongue. But you like the name Sandra, correct?”

“I guess so?” Replied Iris, doing her best to mirror the woman’s chuckle while also trying to hide that was the name of her former crush. One that she hadn’t quite gotten over, despite it being years since they had last talked.

“Then allow me that name. So I can make you comfortable. I’m sure you understand the power of a name with meaning.” Something about how the woman said it made Iris feel a strange fluttering in her stomach. She wanted to press the woman to learn what she meant by that, but at the same time, Iris knew that she couldn’t spend all day debating the first question, so she scribbled down Sandra and looked to the next one.

“Okay, Sandra.” Smiled Iris, doing her best to project a warm personality like she had been taught. “Where are you from?”

“A world outside of yours.” Replied Sandra. “Before you say, I know. I know. It’s not an easy answer. Imagine you. How you walk over ant colonies without ever interacting with their people or systems. We’re sort of that for you.”

“No, I follow that.” Nodded Iris as she wrote the answer down on the page. “That makes as much sense as anything else today,” she added. Despite the woman’s weirdness, something about her was oddly charming, and Iris was finding it hard to maintain her emotional distance. “Next question, gender?”

“This is the one,” giggled Sandra, causing Iris to raise an eyebrow. “This is why I asked for you.”

Iris considered the statement for a few seconds before opting to push further. “What do you mean by that?” She said softly, curious to learn what the woman was getting at.

“Well, can you keep a secret?” Asked Sandra, a conspiratorial glint in her eyes. Iris motioned towards the one-way window at the side of the room.

“I’m not sure they can.” But, before she could say anything else, Sandra touched her hand again, her flesh seeming even stickier than it had previously.

“You feel the same as me,” said Sandra’s voice. But it wasn’t being said out loud. The words were coming from inside Iris’ brain. She felt her body tense up as she looked around, wondering how to react to Sandra’s actions, especially as Iris didn’t want the military people outside to think she was being attacked.

“We’re kindred spirits.” Added Sandra as she removed her hand. Iris sat quietly for a few seconds, processing what she had just heard and how she had heard it.

Once she had recovered her composure, Iris glanced down at the form and repeated the question. “Your gender Sandra?”

“My gender,” smiled Sandra, looking towards that window as she did. “Is the sound of the wind heard from a mile away. The scent of a candle that burnt out long ago, yet one you still smell whenever you walk into the room. A slightly hazy memory that is held in confidence by two friends who will never meet again.” She explained with almost practiced precision. “It’s the shadow that always appears out of the corner of someone else’s vision, the reflection you see when you look into the mirror at night, the one who looks like another you.”

“Interesting,” nodded Iris as she made notes on the form, doing her best to fit in as many of Sandra’s words as possible.

“Thank you.” Chuckled Sandra before looking to the window once more. “They’re so confused in there.” Iris giggled for a moment, carried away by Sandra’s charms before the reality of the statement suddenly hit her.

“You can see them?”

Sandra winked at Iris, a second pupil forming in her eye for a fraction of a second as she did. “Of course. But I thought they needed a comforting fantasy. Even if it is false.”

“I see,” nodded Iris. She quickly realized that this girl was clearly doing everything for a reason. That she had spent a long time planning this whole thing out. Usually, that would worry her, but at that moment, she was utterly focused on working out exactly what message Sandra was trying to deliver to her. “Anything else about gender?”

“Well,” continued Sandra, not even missing a beat. “My gender feels like a ship undergoing hydrodynamic escape, feeling itself being tugged in a million different ways, leaving behind two imperfectly perfect beings. One a husk and one a burning star that could shatter the heavens if it wishes.” She continued, gazing knowingly into Iris’ eyes.

“I’m sorry, I don’t quite follow that one.” Shrugged Iris, reflexively looking away from Sandra’s eyes as she did. Sandra let out a soft murmur as she tapped her chin for a few seconds.

“What year is it?” She asked as she leaned across the table.

“2023,” replied Iris, meeting Sandra’s eyes once more as she tapped the date written on the top of the form. Sandra’s eyes instantly widened as a big smile formed on her face.

“Well, I’m early!” She exclaimed as she rubbed Iris’ hand. “But you’re going to have so much fun!”

“I am?” Replied Iris. It was like Sandra’s charm spell had been broken, as she was suddenly explicitly aware that she was dealing with something not human. She was strange and alien. Something that was in total control of this situation, even if she refused to outright admit it.

“You are! To think I saw you now! Oh, I am so lucky!” Nodded Sandra. “You’re about to go on an amazing adventure!”

“I don’t know how you can say that,” replied Iris. “Honestly, I don’t know if I’m leaving this place alive,” she chuckled awkwardly. But the second she said it, a wave of anxiety washed over her as she realized that that was the most likely outcome, especially now that Sandra had made it clear that she knew way more than she was letting on.

Iris’ heart rate suddenly spiked as images of the end of this encounter flashed through her mind. There was no way the soldiers outside would let her go, especially after all this. However, before her thoughts could spiral out of control, Sandra reached across the table and grabbed her hand.

“Kindred spirits, remember?” Said Sandra’s voice, the words once again bouncing around in Iris’ head. “I promise, no harm will come to you. All I need from you is an answer.”

“An,” started Iris, only to cut herself off when she realized that Sandra was likely talking in her mind for a reason.

“Husk or burning star?” Said Sandra as she squeezed Iris’ hand tighter. Iris presumed she was meant to be confused, but she wasn’t. In fact, her mind was oddly clear. It was like she had just put the final piece into a jigsaw puzzle and could now see the full image for the first time. It was like a veil had been lifted from her eyes, letting her finally realize what Sandra had been trying to say all this time.

“I see why you picked that form now. Burning star,” whispered Iris, squeezing Sandra’s hand as she did. “I want to be the burning star.”

“Your wish is my command,” nodded Sandra as she looked towards the window. “I’m afraid we’re going to be going now.” She firmly said as she rose up from her seat.

Instantly the door crashed open as all the men poured in from the other room. Every single one of them had their guns drawn and aimed right at Sandra and Iris. “Don’t move a muscle!” Shouted the man who had given Iris her orders.

However, Sandra seemed totally unphased by this whole thing. She turned to Iris and extended her hand. “Iris, if you please.” Iris looked between Sandra’s hand and the men, ice forming in her veins as her mind conjured up images of what might be about to happen. But, almost like a reflex, Iris pushed the images away and stood up. She trusted Sandra. Iris wasn’t sure exactly why she trusted Sandra. But she trusted her nonetheless.

“Don’t move!” Shouted the man again. But the words washed over Iris like water rolling down a roof. She had made her choice. She had never been so sure of anything in her life. As Iris walked towards Sandra, it felt like the world was in slow motion, but that didn’t matter. She would have walked for days if she had needed to.

“We will kill you,” shouted the man repeatedly, his voice growing increasingly more horse with each scream. “We will shoot! Do not try us! Do not believe the prisoner!” But Iris continued to walk, the man’s orders becoming background static as she did.

As Iris got close, Sandra extended her hand, allowing Iris to grab it tightly. “I’m sorry,” smiled Sandra as she looked up at the men. “Maybe next time. In a few hundred years, I’m sure you’ll be ready. It’s okay, improvement is slow, but we’ll wait for you.”

“Take one more step,” started the man, only for Sandra to interrupt him.

“Please. Don’t embarrass yourself or your people.” She said firmly. “I would love to say you’ve progressed a little in the last few hundred years.”

Sandra reached down and squeezed Iris’ hand as the men continued to aim their guns at them. “I’m sorry they never understood you,” she whispered into Iris’ mind, her voice taking on a soft yet mournful tone.

Iris desperately wanted to say something. Before she could find the words, a swirling vortex opened in front of her. It was transcendentally beautiful and instantly took her breath away. Inside the portal sat a vast dark sky, dotted with a million swirling galaxies and a billion glowing stars.

Iris knew exactly what she had to do. She took one massive step forward, ready to become the burning star.