Dr. Jacobs was walking down the lengthy corridor of the asylum towards the East Wing of the facility. The building was quite large even for a mental hospital but he didn’t mind walking from one part of the facility to the next all throughout the day. In fact, because he often worked until late at night from the early morning he was happy to be where he could take care of his body as well as his patients. And it showed for the tall middle-aged doctor was fairly slim, compared to all the other men his age who let themselves go.
He was just before the East Wing entrance gate checking his clipboard when he heard a repeating mumbling from what seemed to be the supply closet to his right. Curious, he swiftly turned on the spot and turned the door knob of the heavy door and in the centre of the room surrounded by shelves of medical equipment and tools was a small, young woman kneeling and chanting on the floor.
“Our Father, which art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
But deliver us from evil.
Amen.”
“Margaret?” Dr. Jacobs spoke cautiously while slowly walking up to the woman.
“Oh ah”! She jumped and looked around the small room. “Dr. Jacobs” Margaret gasped. I was just uh well umm…
“Margaret, what’s wrong? You sound disturbed?” Jacobs questioned with a hint of concern in his voice. “What are you doing here alone and saying the Lord’s Prayer?” Margaret got up slowly and while shaking said
“You would just think I’m crazy Doctor.”
“Nonsense, I see crazy people all day and night and believe me you are not crazy” Doctor Jacobs reassured with a smile. You’re our best nurse here and you couldn’t work with the patients the way you do if you shared their differences to the standard human mind. “And it’s ok for you to call me Henry, I think we’ve been through this? He continued not noticing her tremors of fear.
“Ye-yes Doc-I mean Henry. Thank you” She spoke shaking even more than before and stuttering rapidly, blonde locks of hair waving and obscuring her face. That was when he became concerned again.
“Ok Margaret, you’re going to have to relax if I’m going to be able to understand you, let alone help.” Dr. Jacobs instructed the disturbed woman as he pulled two chairs from beside a supply shelf stacked with bandages and helped her into one and sat across from her.
“Thank you” Margaret whispered softly looking off to the side.
“Now, tell me what’s wrong.” Dr. Jacobs spoke warmly.
Margaret shifted slightly in her seat, took a deep breath and began to speak.
“It was a demon!” She blurted out.
“Excuse me?” Doctor Jacobs questioned, blinking a few times.
“I mean he is evil… its red eyes stared into me and showed me visions and horrific omens I will never forget!” Margaret cried out and started to shake once again.
“Margaret, you have to calm down!” Dr. Jacobs ordered. “You’re making no sense. Just please tell me what’s wrong so I can understand you.
“I’m sorry Doctor” Margaret spoke so softly that she could barely be heard. She took a deep breath and continued. “You do know Patient #546 in isolation chamber 10 in the isolation ward. “Yes I do, as a matter of fact I was just going to check up on him.” Doctor Jacobs replied.
“You can’t!” Margaret yelled out. “I mean he isn’t human” now serious and grim. “I was doing my rounds on the patients and then I came to check up on the patients in the isolation ward. They all seemed normal, some lying down, some sitting and mumbling but he was looking out the glass of the cell like he was waiting for me. I thought nothing of it and just asked him if everything was fine and I was surprised to hear him reply yes with sophistication and coherency you wouldn’t expect from someone here. In fact, if he wasn’t wearing the gray jumpsuit we give the patients here and was on the street I’d see him as a normal, good-looking man.
“People have a way of hiding their unique qualities, don’t they?” Dr. Jacobs chuckled then was silent, not wanting to interrupt Margaret now that she was finally talking without fear in her voice and actually giving him something he could work with.
“But then his eyes turned blood red and the next thing I saw were my parents dying in their home, then babies being eaten alive, people dying on the streets and a thousand more horrifying images as real as though I could touch everyone of the people I saw die!”
But that isn’t what scared me the most, it’s what he said after.
“What did he tell you?” Dr. Jacobs leaned in close and whispered. Margaret gulped and her lips quivered as she spoke.
“He said “look outside” and then laughed in the most evil way and contorted on the floor of the rubber cell chanting an evil hymn I have never heard” she spoke fearfully, trying to keep herself from shaking.
“What happened next?” Doctor Jacobs asked.
“I don’t know” Margaret spoke quickly. “The next thing I knew I was running and I burst out of East Wing rushing in here to pray because I believed I just witnessed the work of demons.” I didn’t even check to find out if these things became real because I was too afraid but now I know they were only illusions and demons try to trick you.”
Doctor Jacobs pondered for a moment and revealed his thoughts.
“Margaret, I believe that you have been genuinely disturbed, but that you have misinterpreted your encounter with the patient” he spoke with a serious but comforting expression.
“What do you mean?” Margaret asked, confused.
“I mean that Patient #546 is in here for a reason. He butchered a husband and wife in their home, them being his alleged friends and drew Satanic symbols on the walls with his and their blood. Now if it were any other person they would be locked up for the rest of their life but upon his arrest he was diagnosed with multiple personality disorder and chronic schizophrenia and so he was given to us.”
“But what does that have to do with anything I’ve told you!” Margaret cried out.
“Gentle, Margaret, I was getting to that” Dr. Jacobs spoke calmly trying to get her to settle down. “What I’m trying to say is that you know what this man has done and about his psychotic nature so you had pre-conceived thoughts of him and his eyes are bloodshot all the time, we don’t know why but we are concerned with treating his mental afflictions. So when you saw his eyes like that, that drummed up fear and knowing whom he was triggered images of death and destruction to appear. After all, the mind is extremely efficient at terrifying itself. Also, I think your faith has something to do with you readily believing he was a demon, prompting you to pray here. Margaret looked star-struck after this and then thought for a moment.
Dr. Jacobs already knew Margaret was a Catholic and despite his feelings toward any Christian he liked and cared for her. Also, he knew Margaret was extremely rational and would see the logic behind his explanation unlike so many others of her kind he thought.
“Maybe you’re right Henry” Margaret sighed but with a hint of hesitation. “Maybe I just got caught up with my fear and I’ve been reading a lot about demons lately in my own free time of course and just let those things get the best of me.”
“There you go” Doctor Jacobs smiled. “See how things make so much more sense when you apply logic?”
“Yes, I suppose so” Margaret replied.
“Tell you what. How about you take the rest of the day off to calm down and relax. And I’ll take you off doing rounds in the isolation ward for a little while ok?”
“Thank you Henry” Margaret smiled. “Maybe that’s the best thing” she said as she got up out of her chair.
“Do you need me to walk you out of the hospital?” Doctor Jacobs asked.
“I’ll be fine Henry, but thanks.” I mean really thanks, I know I wouldn’t have left this room for who knows how long had you not found me.” Margaret laughed.
“I’m just glad I could help” he shrugged now up from his chair. Margaret smiled gratefully then pushed the large door open with ease despite her size and disappeared from sight. But even though Dr. Jacobs believed he had helped her, she still had a small sign of fear on her face.
***
“Don’t tell me you too?!” Doctor Jacobs raised his voice at the intern at the entrance of the East Wing.
“I’m sorry Doctor Jacobs, but that man or thing is dangerous” he said quietly with his head looking down.
“Well of course he’s dangerous Marcus!” That’s why he’s in that cell for Pete’s sake! Dr. Jacobs spoke while fighting to keep his voice down.
“I-I know, but this one, there’s something about him that is-is.”
“Demonic?” Dr. Jacobs finished Marcus’ sentence for him, remembering Margaret’s description of the patient that terrified her.
“Yes, that’s the word” Marcus spoke with his head still down.
“Look Marcus, Patient #547 is certainly unstable and dangerous but he’s no demon. Get your head on straight and get serious! Dr. Jacobs hissed and Marcus flinched as though he’s been slapped. It may have seemed like he was being unnecessarily harsh to Marcus but he knew him to be his top intern and better than this to be highly logical and rational. And Dr. Jacobs took this fear of one of their patients as completely abandoning those traits now whereas Margaret needed a more gentle touch for her sake.
“Doctor, you didn’t see those eyes and then he showed me things, things I can’t get out of my head and they’re tearing at me from the inside” Marcus now began to babble.
“Ok, ok” Dr. Jacobs tried to calm Marcus down. “I’m on my way to his cell to check up on him and when I come back, I will be fine and you’ll see that your fear of him made you see those images.” It’s your brain doing this, not the patient. Marcus just fidgeted some more but kept silent.
“Tell you what?” You go to the lounge or one of the empty rooms to take a nap and calm down and I’ll show you when I’m done with him that I’m fine and you won’t have to worry?” Dr. Jacobs now spoke softly, not wanting to upset Marcus again despite his frustration at the newfound lunacy erupting in the asylum.
“Ok.” Marcus said his voice more stable but with still a hint of nervousness. He then quietly said thank you and went through the heavy gate of the East Wing, his shoes squeaking as he walked. Jacobs himself turned and walked in the opposite direction and in to the heart of the wing.
Marcus was a bright kid Dr. Jacobs knew and he would do well in the asylum once he finished his internship. But he was very nervous as he had just noticed and was also shy around the patients. Hopefully Dr. Jacobs would be able to hammer that out of him soon and Marcus’ practical skills in mental health would carry him throughout his career at the hospital.
The East Wing was the section of the asylum that housed people charged with more than just minor assaults. And as such were quarantined from the merely disturbed and those whose conditions assisted in the committing of lesser crimes.
The dome-like wing was 15 metres high and 35 metres wide and was brightly illuminated by fluorescent lights at the top of the dome. The heart of the wing also had three large metal doors opened and closed with metal bolts which led to the rooms and treatment rooms of the inmates, the isolation ward and the recreation and dining area.
Dr. Jacobs always loved coming to this part of the hospital because these patients were whom he believed was the staff’s and his greatest challenge and the thoughts of fixing the chaotic minds of the criminally insane invigorated him. He smiled at one of the stony faced guards who were there just in case the inmates got out of hand who surprisingly smiled back.
He motioned the guard in the office control room to unlock the gate to the isolation ward which opened with a sharp thump of metal and slowly creeped open to reveal a long thin hallway devoid of any life or sound.
“Now, I will show everyone there is nothing to fear and put an end to this madness” Dr Jacobs declared softly to himself as he confidently walked into the ward.
“Ah yes, the current political system we have in place doesn’t equally represent every social group and needs reform” Dr. Jacobs laughed as he stood in front of containment chamber 7 in the isolation ward speaking to a thin dark haired man leaning against the chamber’s glass screen.
“I agree, but unless people are willing to act, politicians will continue to do as they please” the man spoke with lazy synicism.
“Well either people are too stupid, lazy or both and that’s why they don’t” Dr. Jacobs sighed.
It turned out that Patient #547 or otherwise known as Jonathan Hemley was quite an intelligent and reasonably polite individual and after Dr. Jacobs carried out his routine check-up one of them mentioned politics and it was tax rates and elections from there on. Of course, he hadn’t expected anything else for Jonathan was the great success story of the asylum. He was brought in a raving killer but now do to the diligence of Dr. Jacobs and the staff his behavior radically changed and became a model patient whom actually had passions and ambition. In fact, Dr. Jacobs looked forward to these check-ups because he whole-heartedly enjoyed talking to Jonathan about their shared interests. He also believed that engaging his patient’s interests and passions was not only helpful but vital to the success of their time here or any mental hospital. He still was a risk to the safety of the other patients though and that’s why he was in isolation but hopefully Dr. Jacobs thought that soon he could be moved to general population.
Margaret happened to be correct when she said Jonathan looked like a normal and handsome man, and unlike some of the patients in the facility, he kept his beard trimmed and himself clean, of course under the supervision of the staff. But despite all that, there was something about him that hinted at a monster behind an intelligent and kind mask. Dr. Jacobs could admit that and he wouldn’t let this man enter the general population until he knew he was no longer a risk to the other patients.
“Well Jonathan, I’m off. Have a lot of patients to see and only so much time in the day.” Dr. Jacobs smiled through the transparent screen at his patient.
“Very well, I will see you soon” Jonathan said politely and went to sit on his bed. “Just one thing” he requested with a sinister politeness.
“Yes” Dr. Jacobs answered as he looked back towards his patient but just as he looked into Jonathan’s eyes, they flashed red and all he could see were scenes of death. Suddenly unable to move he watched as his patients ran throughout the halls of the asylum, slitting the throats of the staff and roaring like animals, reveling and dancing in the pools of blood. Dr. Jacobs stared at this massacre, unable to do anything to save his colleagues and staff and also unable to settle the patients he worked so hard to care for. He was about to scream as a patient soaked in blood charged at him with a mad look of bloodlust on his face but returned back to the isolation ward just in time.
Terrified and- heart beating rapidly, Dr. Jacobs looked around panicked to see everything around him was now pristine and quiet except for Jonathan who was laughing maniacally in his cell.
“Wha- what was that?!” Dr. Jacobs demanded.
“Your greatest fear!” Jonathan screamed like a madman at a bewildered Dr. Jacobs “Oh don’t worry Doctor, you’re not going insane, I’ve already covered that!” he continued laughing with a face of sick joy and amusement, showing his true self as a demented psychopath.
Dr. Jacobs couldn’t believe what had just happened. He had just seen his staff and colleagues slaughtered by his own patients and undeniably Jonathan had induced those terrible images. He knew it sounded insane and defied all logic but he couldn’t deny that what he had just experienced was what Margaret herself described exactly. Therefore reason demanded he accept what he thought impossible just a minute ago and take charge of the situation. Collecting himself, Dr. Jacobs took a deep breath and with great effort squashed his fear.
“They were right” he declared while staring into Jonathan’s eyes which were still as red as before. “They were both right and I thought they misinterpreted what they saw in you but there is no denying that there is something evil about you.”
“Ha!” Jonathan spat. “So now we’re believing in good and evil. I thought you weren’t in to that sort of thing Doctor? Oh, don’t look at me that way! You’d think if someone accepted my ability to make their greatest fears appear before them that it’d make sense I can read minds as well” he spoke with amused disappointment at seeing Dr. Jacobs’ shocked face. “Actually Doctor, I will show you true evil and you won’t be able to lock him up like you did with me!” Jonathan then with an animalistic growl bit down hard on the tip of his tongue and with blood pouring down his chin walked slowly and purpose-driven to the wall of his cell which now seamed to permeate the same evil essence as him.
Dr. Jacobs tried to rush to the closest speaker to call for help but he again was glued into place and this time unable to even speak.
Obviously realizing that Jonathan was behind this state of paralysis Dr. Jacobs wrenched inside to break free but it was no use. All his life Henry Jacobs had been in control and everyone followed his lead. But now being subject and prisoner at all, lest to this paranormally gifted madman was too much to bear and he became hopeless and afraid.
Now face to face with the wall of the cell, Jonathan opened his mouth as if to kiss a long lost lover but instead stuck out his blood dripping tongue and started to lick the padded wall. That’s what it looked like at first, but Dr. Jacobs noticed in his frozen state that his deranged patient was actually drawing something, although he couldn’t see what.
“Now Doctor, behold the terror of Hell!” Jonathan screamed at the petrified doctor and stood aside to reveal what he had drawn on the wall. Dr. Jacobs instantly recognized the shape as a pentacle, the five pointed star Satanists use in their rituals. Everyone knew that, but before he just passed it off as a meaningless symbol. A shape just like the ones all faiths use in their delusions. But the second after looking at it, Dr. Jacobs felt a painful and overbearing feeling well up inside him that had he not been paralyzed it would have made him collapse to the ground.
“You feel that? Jonathan playfully asked, taking pleasure in his doctor’s discomfort. That is Him and you will feel much more than that in just a minute I assure you.” Suddenly Dr. Jacobs fell to the tiled floor with a loud smack and was relieved to find out he could move again but struggled to stand upright.
“What is this! What the hell are you?!” Dr. Jacobs ordered with a mixture of fear and frustration whilst fighting to keep the feeling inside him from plunging him to the floor again.
“Ask him!” Jonathan screamed and starting laughing so hard that he fell to the ground. Dr. Jacobs just stared in disbelief at this madman writhing on the ground and laughing his head off, but then his heart stopped. For a monstrous roar blasted from all directions which clawed at Henry Jacobs very soul and even drowned out Jonathan’s maniacal laughter.
Comments(0) 
