Scary Stories - Twist in the Tale Series

The Interview

As he stoodwaiting, Daniel Carter experienced a loneliness and isolation hehad never felt before. How much longer would they take? In anattempt to subdue his worried impatience, he studied hissurroundings again. Though the room was huge, there was little todistract him. Except for the door he had entered by, the wallswere unbroken; decorated in what he supposed was intended to be arestful shade of pastel blue that failed to calm his nervousness.If only there was a window or picture to focus on, to distracthim from this awful waiting - but there was none.

It felt like he had been standing there, shuffling from one footto the other, for two hours or more. In reality, it had probablybeen no longer than two or three minutes; still a long time to bekept waiting in unfamiliar surroundings. He switched his gazeback on the only item of furniture in the room, the long, heavywooden desk he was standing a few feet in front of, and the threepeople seated behind it.

The old man in the centre, the one who had asked Carter to wait amoment while they examined his curriculum vitae, was the mostimposing of the five. His grey beard, wise eyes and authoritativeair easily marked him as the head of the group. The other two,though younger, were no less impressive, especially the onewoman, who was so strikingly beautiful, it was difficult to avoidstaring at her. She and the remaining man, each in their own way,had a presence that elevated them above the commonplace, so muchso that Carter, fretfully clasping and unclasping his handsbehind his back as he stood in the centre of the room beforethem, felt pitifully ordinary. Nonetheless, it was to the old manthat the others bowed as he made comment on various items in thedocuments on the desk in front of them.

Carter strained to catch what they were saying, but they spoke insuch subdued tones that he was unable to distinguish any of theirconversation. Neither could he determine what judgement they weremaking of him. Their expressionlessly calm, passive facesbetrayed no clue as to what deliberations they were forming.

At last, after another eternity of waiting, the old man looked upfrom the desk and spoke, "Well, Mr Carter, we have studiedyour details. Is there anything else you can add?"

"In what way?" asked Carter, confusedly. Surely,everything they needed to know was contained in the résumé theyhad so carefully examined?

"Is there anything else you can tell us about yourself thatyou believe makes you more eligible than all the other applicantswe have to interview?" the old man expounded, patiently.

All three were looking intently at him now, and Carter felt at aloss what to say. He had never expected this.

"Well, as you can see, I've done a lot of good work."

"So have many more, Mr Carter."

"I'm law-abiding and trustworthy."

"No more so than any of the other people waiting to be seen."

"I've never done anything seriously wrong."

"Nor have so many others."

"In that case, I can't think of anything else I can add."

"It would appear so."

Carter was becoming increasingly confused, they seemed to beputting barriers in his way, to what purpose, he could not fathom."I don't understand, why am I being questioned in this way?I realise I'm just an average sort of person, but isn't the factthat I'm here at all enough? Don't I have the one qualificationthat is needed?"

As if to placate him, the woman now spoke, "You see, MrCarter - Daniel," she said in a soft, calming voice, "Atone time, yes, you would have been automatically accepted, butthese days we are having to be a little more stringent in who weadmit. It's not like it used to be."

"You can appreciate," the second, younger man tookover, again in a gentle voice, "These are difficult times.I'm sure you are aware of the current climate; many more arefinding themselves in your position. We are becoming inundatedwith applicants and, I'm afraid to say, frankly, we are becomingfull. We have almost reached capacity, and, well, we now have tobe highly selective."

"I'm not sure what you're telling me."

"We have carefully gone over your records," continuedthe younger man, " And I am sorry to have to say, Mr Carter,that you are not a suitable candidate; there is nothing here thatsets you above the rest. To be blunt, we cannot take you in."

"But ... I don't understand ... what do you mean, you can'ttake me in? Surely, you have to?"

"No, Mr Carter," said the old man, "We do not haveto. You will have to go back."

"Go back?"

"Yes, Mr Carter, I'm afraid you will have to go back. I'msorry"

Suddenly, there was a brilliant blinding light, a sensation offloating, then a rushing, surging, spinning motion. Then, just asabruptly, a great calm and stillness.

Carter opened his eyes.

"Ah, there you are, Mr Carter."

A pretty young woman in a nurse's uniform stood over him.

"What? Where am I?"

"I'm afraid you're in intensive care. You've had a massiveheart attack, and it was touch and go for a while. You'll bealright now, though."

"But ... but, I thought I was dead."

"Yes, well, there was a time when we thought we'd lost you,but you're a fighter, Mr Carter, that's for sure. Just when wewere about to give up, you surprised us all and came back. Now,no more talking. You need to get a lot of rest; you'll soon beback on the road to recovery."