Chapter Text
“You've assigned one patient completely under m-my care?"
Flug sat nervously in front of his boss, who was at least three times bigger than he was. His boss had a belly so big it was almost leaning over the table like a balloon about to explode. He had a thick cigar between his lips, right under his dark mustache. The boss inhaled some smoke, before huffing them out heavily right into Flug's face. Even if Flug had a light brown paper bag covering his head and strap-on goggles over his eyes, the smoke still make him cough uncomfortably.
"Well, yes. Is there a problem?" the big boss asked, looking down at Flug.
"N-no, sir", the young man muttered back and looked down at his feet.
Flug looked through the file of this patient, and to his surprise it was quite short. The only thing he knew about this patient that he had never left his room. And that he was dangerous.
"So, l-let me get this straight. You want me to take care of this patient who possibly has s-some supernatural abilities and who has ... killed seven doctors before?"
The more Dr. Flug read, the more horrified he was.
"And, and ... this ! 'Patient number 666' ?" Flug whimpered and slammed the file on the table. "That's the devil's number."
"Indeed, he insisted having that as his number", his boss muttered quietly. "And he is, in fact, an actual devil."
"Insisted?" Flug repeated the man's words.
"Whenever we wrote down another number for him, the paper started burning and turned the number to 666."
Ah, a dramatic one, Flug thought to himself.
The boss leaned over the large wooden table and inspected Flug carefully, looking up and down at him. Flug was somewhat tall and lanky, his face completely hidden under a strange paper bag. He was dressed up in a blue shirt with a plane on it, light blue jeans and a pair of red chucks. Only two things about him showed the others he was a doctor of some sort: a white lab coat and yellow gloves.
"Listen, Doctor Flug."
His voice was almost mocking and Flug slightly shivered under his intense stare.
"I've noticed how good you are with patients. Even if it's not your specialty, you always do your job well, no matter the situation."
Flug lifted his face from the ground, feeling a little more confident about himself.
"This is a very important job, and it's an honor to do it. You don't wanna miss it", the boss said and leaned heavily back into his seat, making the chair creak loudly.
Flug thought for a moment. He inspected the file a little longer. There was no pictures of the patient, no official name, relatives or hometown... Everything about this patient just screamed "danger". It was like the file was named as "Stay the hell away if you want to stay alive".
A single note was added at the end of the file, handwritten : "Update : patient informs that he prefers to be called 'Black Hat'."
" ... D-do I get paid more for this?"
"A lot. So, is it a deal?"
" ... I believe so."
--
Flug was given a set of keys and passwords so he would have access to the lowest level of the asylum - the underground level. It was where they took the most dangerous patients they had and kept them there in severe conditions until they would die.
The only way to get there was through an elevator and Flug already felt like panicking when he and his coworker stood silently there, waiting for the lift to reach the lowest level.
"I sure hope Black Hat doesn't kill you", Flug's friendly coworker, Thomas, joked. Dr. Flug shivered from that.
"I-I sure hope so, too", he whimpered and fought back tears. If he only knew how to say 'no', he now wouldn't be risking his life for some extra money.
Thomas just laughed in a sinister way and started searching for something in his pockets. Soon, he offered a simple controller to Flug. It looked like a remote control, expect it only had two buttons and a green light showing it was working.
"It's a taser, sort of. Black has this electric collar around his neck. The first button gives him a small shock, but the second one makes much more damage", Thomas explained to him.
"W-will this actually work on him?" Flug stuttered out.
He had read enough to understand, that this 'Black Hat' was no human. Apparently, he could change his appearance, possess something near him and completely bite someone's arm off with no trouble. Would a simple shock even feel like anything to him? Unless, of course, all of his 'abilities' were a lie.
"Trust me, it will. It doesn't give usual electric shots. It's actually illegal to use this on patients, since it can kill the patient, but this is a special case."
The elevator finally stopped and the doors opened, and the two doctors walked across the empty hallway until they reached a huge metallic door with multiple locks. Thomas showed him in what order the locks had to be opened and what password you had to type and where. The last thing that was needed to unlock the door was a hand print, and for this Flug had to remove his yellow glove. After two whole minutes of going through all kinds of security, the door finally opened and they were able to move on.
Flug walked across the hallway silently, listening carefully for any sign of live, but he heard nothing. There were doors on both of his sides, but they all seemed empty.
"What happened to the last doctor, who took care of Black Hat?" Dr. Flug decided to ask, just to get rid of the pressuring silence.
"Well, they pissed Black Hat off and they got impaled by ... something. Numerous doctors tried to calm Black Hat down, but it was all useless. Now he has been rotting down here for months", Thomas told the doctor. Both of them shivered from it.
"So, h-he doesn't need to be fed?" Flug asked.
"No. He is nowhere near human."
They finally reached a door that was also made out of strong metal. It had a small door that you could open and take a peek inside, if needed, and a few strong locks to keep the door shut. Next to the door there was a simple sign that read: "Patient number 666".
"Once you are inside, the only way to get out is with this key."
Thomas gave Flug another key, that was almost brand new. Flug attached it to the rest of the keys and made sure to memorize what it was.
"Now, just try talking to him a little. If possible, try to find some information about him. And when you need to leave, give him a small shock before opening the door", Thomas guided him before he took a peek inside the room.
"It seems to be clear", he then said and opened the door slowly.
Shaking, Flug stepped inside the room and carefully looked around. The walls and the floor were cushioned, and a dim lightning took over the room. A tall figure was sitting in a corner, leaning against the wall silently.
"Good luck."
With those words, Thomas closed the door and left Flug completely alone with the monster.
Dr. Flug first just stood there, repeating everything he had just learned in his head like he was facing a difficult test. In a way, this was a test to him. The objective was to survive.
"E-evening", he said with a stuttering voice, standing like a stick in front of the door. No answer came from the man, and Flug could not help but shiver.
Slowly, the figure lifted his head and looked up at Flug with an uncanny smirk and tired eyes. Their eyes met and never left each other, and just from that Flug felt like he would faint.
This patient, Black Hat as he preferred to be called, was quite unusual. He was wearing a white straitjacket just like any other patient, but on top of his head there was a black top hat with a maroon band. Flug guessed that is where his name came from. He was also donning a rimless monocle over his left eye, which was strange. Patients were not allowed to possess anything, so it was weird how they let him wear his property freely. Around his neck, there was a strong shock collar. Probably the most unusual thing about him was his face, and his whole body, too - Black Hat had a dark grey skin and had no ears or even a nose. It was like he was faceless. But he did have a mouth filled with pointy teeth and a pair of eyes inspecting the doctor silently.
Flug coughed and straightened his posture. He took out a small note pad and a pen, where he would write down notes.
"I have b-been assigned to be your, erm, personal caretaker. M-my names is Dr. Flug and-", he started talking. But he suddenly stopped and shivered, when he saw Black Hat's reaction to his own name.
Black Hat's forked tongue had fallen out past his lips hungrily when he had heard the doctor's name and yet again, Flug had shivered in fear. He swallowed heavily and tried to collect himself, but then he heard the patient laughing.
"They hired a coward to take care of me? How silly", Black Hat said with an amused tone in his voice. He rolled his shoulders a little, snapped his neck and took a more comfortable position in the corner.
"Y-yes, I'm here to just t-talk to you and maybe run a few tests", Flug tried to explain, tapping his pen nervously against the note pad.
"Tests? Are you a scientist?" Black Hat asked with curiosity. "Not at the moment", the doctor answered.
Black Hat laughed again. "Well, I have nothing to say, so you can go back to where you came from", he said now slightly louder and leaned towards the doctor, still staying near his own special corner. Frightened, Flug pulled out the controller he was given and moved his thumb over the first button as a warning. The hatted man stopped and moved back into his corner, chuckling in amusement.
"That scared of me?"
Flug took a few steps back and leaned heavily against the door, already wishing to get out. His hand was shaking as he pointed the controller towards the patient, considering to press the button already. But Black Hat didn't seem angry, at least not yet. He only smiled, shook his head and closed his eyes, like he understood why Flug was afraid.
"This thing on my neck is indeed helping me behave", the patient said softly and leaned his head against the wall. His eyes were still closed, but he didn't seem to be sleeping.
Flug took a few breaths to collect himself and finally stopped pointing at the patient. He looked down at the controller, playing carefully with its sides.
"Y-yes, but it will be used only in s-serious circumstances", Dr. Flug explained and laughed nervously.
"You thought it was a serious circumstance when I came an inch closer to you?" Black Hat asked, raising his eyebrows. Flug wasn't able to answer that.
"W-well, it's not bad to be c-careful", he said as an excuse after a long moment of silence. It had been the first time for him when a patient points out a mistake he has done. Flug felt quite embarrassed for being such a coward. But at the same time, he was with a vicious creature so he had to be extra precautious.
An awkward silence fell between them and Flug was not sure what he should say next. He just stood there, staring at his patient like he was a circus freak. Flug collected more air into his lungs and tried to calm himself down. He had not been acting professional so far, but it was not too late to fix that.
"Press it."
Flug's eyes widened and his mouth fell slightly open from those words.
"What?" Flug asked. "W-why would I do that?"
"I want to see if it works."
Flug tried to stutter something out, but no clear words came out of him. He could not understand why Black Hat would want to get shocked. Was the collar new to him or did he just want to challenge Flug? Or maybe he was so sick he liked it.
"T-the device on your neck could seriously injure you, or e-even kill you", Flug stuttered out. "It is only meant to be used when you are a threat to me."
Black Hat turned his gaze somewhere else for a moment, silently thinking about Flug's words.
Then, he looked back at Flug with a wide smirk.
And then, Black Hat stood up.
Black Hat was much taller than he had looked like when he had been curled up in a corner. Flug is quite tall to begin with, but Black Hat was towering over him, his top hat making him look even taller than he already was.
Black hat took one small step towards Flug with his bare feet, then another one. Flug pressed himself against the door, holding tightly onto the remote.
"S-stay back, or I will press it!" he shouted, his feet trembling so hard that they almost gave up under him. But Black Hat did not stop.
The eldritch inched closer to Flug, so slowly yet so deadly. His smile grew wider, his teal colored sharp fangs shining in a clear line. He tilted his head to the side, his whole form crooked as he came closer to Flug. Flug lifted up his hand and pointed the remote towards the patient, his thumb over the first button, shaking harshly.
"Press it then", Black Hat said with a low voice that created chills run up the doctor's backside.
And Flug did. He pressed his thumb down and kept it there. A soft buzzing noise filled the room and Black Hat's eye widened. He fell down to his knees, screaming and banging his head against the floor. His body was shaking violently and his hands did their everything to break free. Soon, the eldritch used all of his power on his legs and lifted himself up, turned around and ran against the wall. He made inhuman sounds as he kept kicking his legs, leaning against the wall heavily. Black Hat started slamming himself against the wall, and it took Flug a while to understand why. Black hat was trying to destroy the electric choker around his neck, without success.
Suddenly, Black Hat looked at Flug and made the most animalistic scream Flug has only heard in his worst nightmares. Black Hat's mouth opened wide, sharp teeth pointing everywhere and tongue dancing around wildly. Then, something odd happened. Something Dr. Flug had never seen before.
Something came out of Black Hat's body. Black, shadow-like spikes spurted out of his torso, spreading around like wings. The more Black Hat screamed, the more of those shadows appeared. Flug curled up against the door as much as he could, trying to get away from those deadly things, but he had no escape. Whatever was happening, made it clear as day that patient number 666 was a monster.
Flug was shaking, his eyes tearing up as he finally realized to lift his thumb up and end the misery of his patient. Black Hat went silent, the weird shadows disappearing as fast as they had appeared and he fell down onto his knees, his head hanging low. Black Hat's eyes were wide open, and a drain of drool was falling onto the floor. Dr. Flug fell down to the floor, too, leaning his head against the metal door as he took deep breaths, trying to understand what had just happened.
His whole body was shaking and he could feel himself crying. He dropped all of his belonging to the floor, even the remote and curled up into a ball. Flug could feel his heart beating hard against his chest, a weird plump stuck in his throat making it hard to breath. He wrapped his hands around his legs and pulled them closer to his chest.
"Think of a happy place, think of a happy place", he whispered to himself, rocking around slightly in order to calm himself.
Black Hat lifted his head up slowly, watching the pathetic excuse of a doctor who was supposed to be his new caretaker. Angrily, he crawled towards the doctor, still huffing heavily.
Flug lifted his head up and immediately started panicking.
"Oh god, please, Black Hat! Don't k-"
The second Flug's legs weren't against his chest anymore, Black Hat had fallen on top of them, using them as a pillow. The eldritch curled up close to his doctor, exhausted and strained as he fell asleep in a mere second.
Flug looked down onto his lap with wide, teary eyes, too afraid to even breathe. He then gave out a tired sigh and leaned his head against the door, still crying a little bit.
“I want to go home."