"Do you regret what you've done?"

Patrick Sukut, a fledgling journalist for the New York Times was sitting directly across from one of the greatest urban tales of the generation, Dr. Tian Fleming. They were separated behind a glass pane, as of course, staying too close to the cannibalistic sociopath was asking for danger.

He was here to write a story. Preferably one that would go viral, earning him a place in his company. Who knows, maybe even a Netflix adaptation of his work would be possible, instantly turning him from rags to riches.

Patrick stared at the man in front of him, masking his enthusiasm with a journalist’s stoic facade. The prisoner was reasonably tall at around 6’2 with a lanky frame. He had deep blue eyes, dirty blond hair, and spectacles on the bridge of his nose. He could be described as handsome if it were not for his clear paleness.

Dr. Tian Fleming, also known by the name "The Psychiatrist", was a serial killer who engaged in cannibalism over the course of 22 years in the city of New Jersey. Formerly a renowned doctor of psychology, he killed and cannibalized three.

Bound to a straightjacket and staring intently at his interviewee, Tian considered the question for a moment and pondered over the course of his life.

Growing up Tian had always been the brightest kid in the vicinity. None had shone brighter than him regardless of the field. Where he shone the greatest, however, was the study of the mind. Admitted to the Harvard School of Psychology, Tian made a name for himself, publishing numerous papers on the human brain's inner workings.

"No," Tian said, staring intently at his interviewer. "Nothing I have done has ever evoked a sense of remorse in me."

Taken aback, Patrick stared Tian in the eyes for a few seconds, barely keeping up his calm facade. Tian's gaze was unsettling, seeming as if he had looked right into the very essence of his being.

Patrick shifted in his seat uncomfortably, eventually looking down at his pre-written notes for guidance on how to proceed.

"What made you decide to kill? You were previously a renowned doctor of psychology and psychiatry, having more than you could ever wish for. Why did you do it?"

Tian looked Patrick dead in the eyes. Silence reigned the room, broken only by Patrick's audible gulp.

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"Let me ask you a question, Mr. Sukut. How do you distinguish between a human and a monster?"

"Are you implying that you are a monster, Dr. Tian?"

Tian smiled.

"Rightfully so. Over the course of my career, I have analyzed the human psyche to its most fundamental form. Anger, lust, embarrassment, envy, greed... I have seen it all and understood it all."

"Over time, I delved deeper. Each subliminal action a person took would help me understand their true emotions. Scratching their heads, biting their nails, and furrowing their brows. With each bodily movement, I became able to understand their true feelings. And that is when I saw the truth."

Patrick raised an eyebrow.

"The truth? Please, do tell."

Tian smiled. "I found that all human beings hide their true feelings behind a mask. When they feel disgusted or derision, they instead smile and put on a facade of happiness. When they feel joy at the expense of another, they put on a mask of sympathy. And me..."

Tian grinned widely, showing off his pearly whites.

"Me, who can see these emotions clearly, am a monster."

Patrick snorted, shaking his head. He didn't believe that anyone could truly see the depths of the human mind. And the psycho named Dr. Tian Fletcher was not capable of such actions. But if he was going to secure a good story, he was going to need to entertain this deranged idiot.

"Then why did you kill people? There shouldn't be a reason for that as far as I can tell."

Tian grunted.

"Don't be so impatient Mr. Sukut. Back to my original question. How do you distinguish between a human and a monster?"

Not giving any time to let Partick respond, Tian continued.

"The answer is disgust. Take, for example, a wolf. A wolf can eat fish, deer, rabbits, and more. However, when it eats wolf meat, it will inevitably feel a sense of disgust. By the same logic, it is the same for humans. Putting aside sympathy for the animals they kill, in dire straits, humans can eat almost anything you give them without a semblance of self-blame. When they are forced to eat human meat, however, they will feel disgusted."

Tian's eyes widened, suddenly struggling against his restraints. He glared at Patrick and spoke.

"I viewed myself as a monster. To prove that I was inhuman, unbound by mortal restraints, there was only one way. To eat human meat and see if I perceived disgust."

Patrick shivered. He had never guessed this sort of explanation for the senseless cannibalism The Psychiatrist had committed. His jaw dropped as his thoughts stagnated for a while.

"The first time around, I was slightly reluctant. I killed a man in an alleyway and roasted his meat over a dumpster fire. It was not very good, horrible even, but my hypothesis was correct. I did not feel disgusted."

Tian licked his lips as if he was reminiscing about that day.

"As any good researcher does, numerous trials to test the results must be done. The two other incidents that occurred only verified my thoughts. I was inhuman."

Patrick slumped down in his chair. The shock behind the story was too much for him and he needed a little time to process his emotions. After a few moments, however, he grinned. He knew this was going to become a good story.

After asking Tian for a few other specifics and a long time of queries, Patrick left the cell, leaving Tian all alone.

A security guard approached Tian, reaching for his cuffs.

“Come prisoner, it’s time for your execution.”