From outside you heard the commotion, raised voices, and bottles smashing followed by more yelling. As you began to lift yourself off the ground the front door swung forward knocking you back to the ground, hitting several of the steps on your way down. Your head pulsed in pain. Shaking your head you avert your gaze upwards to see a monstrosity towering over you, four arms protruding from its torso and inhuman facial features and a soft fur that covered its entire body. As the creature looked down at you, you noted it appeared to roll its eyes. "Outta my way toots," it spat out before stepping over you.
The exasperated voice of a woman followed, their silhouette now blocking the light that poured out of the building and onto the ground you lay upon. "Close the damned door, Angel!" She chided before laying eyes on you and rushing over. "Are you okay?" To which you nodded. She placed a hand under your arm and helped you to your feet. In the dim light of the street, she looked human but you could not help but notice the dusky grey tone of her skin. Her hair was pure white and fell nearly halfway down her legs, some of it tied back by a singular red ribbon. "Don't mind Angel, he's in a mood. Saying this she guides you to step into the lobby, and the warmth of the hotel washed over you. You couldn't help but feel grateful for the strangers' help.
Upon entering the hotel, the disrepair of the interior was immediately apparent. Broken glass littered the floor, and several bar stools were knocked over and scattered throughout the area. The scene was eerily quiet, except for the scuttling sounds of something moving with a petite stature. The creature moved with incredible speed, faster than any person you had ever seen before. As it approached you, you couldn't help but feel as though it was staring deeply into your soul with its one large, staring pupil.
Instinctively, you darted behind the white-haired woman who seemed to be familiar with the creature. She bent down to its level and spoke to it in a calm voice, referring to it as "Nifty." The creature seemed to calm down at her words, and the woman assured it that you were just a little shy. As you stood there, you couldn't help but feel as though all eyes in the room were on you, watching your every move.
Despite the unsettling state of the hotel's interior and the strange encounter with the creature, you couldn't help but be intrigued by the woman and Nifty. Perhaps there was more to this place than met the eye.
You remained behind the white-haired woman and observed the room, to the far side there were two more figures. A blond-haired woman with pale skin and what you could only compare to mime makeup. She had to turn to look at you as she seemed to previously converse with what appeared to be a large cat creature with feathered wings tucked behind its back. Before you knew it the blonde-haired lady rushed over to you, whilst she seemed to be friendly, her approach was somehow unsettling in its enthusiasm. "Hi, I'm Charlie" She chatted out at you, not just extending her hand to shake yours but instead grabbing it and shaking it with great vigor. You recoil slightly and Charlie steps back for a moment. At first, you think your words have offended her but as her expression changes to one of concern you come to the realization. Was she perhaps worried about offending you? The white-haired woman steps away from you, now standing by Charlie's side and placing her hands affectionately upon her shoulders. "Tone it back," She said with emphasis.
Charlie took a moment to adjust her ruby suit, pulling at the hem of the jacket and straightening her bowtie. She once again extended her hand which you gingerly took. She still gave a firm handshake but now with more restraint. "So as I said, I'm Charlie and this is Vaggie. The woman now named as Vaggie gave you a docile half-wave. Charlie then turned to the small, one-eyed creature and bent down to her level. "And this is Nifty" to which Nifty's eye focused on you once again, her pupil shrinking to that of a pinprick as she stared you out before letting out an elated "Hi there miss!". Then her focus drops down to your feet or more specifically the ground below your feet. You notice you've tracked in a few muddy footprints. As you look back up you notice Nifty has now moved, you'd not seen her move but you feel something tapping at your feet as you look down to see that Nifty, is now at your feet, using the brush half of a dustpan and brush to tap on your shoes.
You shift out of her way and she quickly makes work of the mess you'd tracked in. Charlie pipes up once again and tears off towards the bar area. "And this is Husk" She takes a moment to look at his face, his expression of disinterest had not changed since you'd entered the building, a perpetual look of indifference. Charlie nudged him lightly in his side and you see the corners of his mouth move ever so slightly curl into what was obviously a forced...well you don't even know if you could call it a smile. "And the lanky guy you saw leaving moments ago is our first".Vaggie starts.
"And only". Husk interjects. "Our first client," Vaggie says, glaring at Husk as she finishes.
"Client?" you find yourself asking, a look of confusion visibly plastered across your face. Charlie pipes up once more and darts towards you, wrapping one arm around your shoulder as she pulls you somewhat forcibly into her side, her cheek smushed up against your own. "We at the Hazbin Hotel hope to prove no soul is a lost cause. With our dedicated team we will rehabilitate our residents". Charlie takes a deep breath of air as she opens her mouth wide as though to start singing. Vaggie instinctively lets out a simple "No" to which Charlie pouts slightly but Vaggie walks back over to her. "I think maybe we need to give..."
Vaggie pauses and looks at you, grasping for a name, an introduction from yourself.
You try to think but you find your mind a haze, as you try to focus on any details of who you are or who you were, only to be met with fuzzy thoughts. The name Eve flashes through your mind but somehow it just doesn't feel right. Belle comes to mind and whilst this feels more true, it still just feels wrong. The more you try to think, your mind crackles with electricity. After several agonizing moments of silence, husk eventually lets out a forced cough.
"well sometimes this can be a difficult adjustment, so you take your time and we'll set you up with a room." Charlie chimes out. "If you would like one that is" Vaggie adds. You can all but nod as you rummage through your pockets, coming to the realization that you have no money, you have nothing you can offer, and the only item of value you note is a gold band on your ring finger. You slide it off and hold it out in front of you, cupping it in your hands like Oliver Twist as you approach Charlie.
"Oh no no no, it's free. All we ask is you take part in our team-building activities for rehabilitation. With our help, everyone has a chance to get through the pearly gates...we think". her voice wavering ever so slightly towards the end. You feel a flash, visions of a white room, a man in a suit, a blonde-haired woman and you mutter out "I'm not supposed to be down here". Charlie takes your hands and closes your fingers around the ring that you still had held out in front of you. Her eyes grow wide and you swear she looks like she's about to burst into tears of joy. "Well then you are exactly where you need to be." She smiles at you before materializing a key in mid-air.
Charlie guides you to a reasonably sized room, enough to fit a double bed, a wardrobe, a chest of drawers, and two bedside cabinets. She hits the light switch, a light, which flickers momentarily before filling the room with a warm white glow. Giving you a quick tour, showing you your bathroom and where the fresh linens for the unmade bed were.
"Thank you." You say as graciously as you can. She stands in the doorway for a moment before giving you a half-wave. "Sleep well".
You throw yourself on the bed, not having yet made it up. Blurred images and voices pulsate through your head that now, you only realize how much it's pounding. You want to run yourself a bath, soak your aches away in warm water, wash away the mud and filth from landing on the street but every time you try and move your body shakes, as a sensation you can only imagine being like sitting on the electric chair would feel, shoots through your body. You lay there for close to an hour, why couldn't you remember your name? Everyone has a name you think. Why is everything lost to you?
You let out a weary sigh, finally making your way to the bathroom. As the bath runs you search for some kind of bubble bath, shower gel, or even just a bar of soap but to no avail. Fuck it, you thought as you slip into the steamy water, this is better than nothing. You feel your body relax, releasing tension from muscles you hadn't even realized you were clenching. The soothing warmth of the water lulls you into a sleep-like state until...Click.
The sound of your door unlocking. "Someones in here" you shout out hoping to deter the visitor, thinking they perhaps someone had the wrong room. Nothing, silence fills the air until again you hear a click, as the door fastens shut.
You climb out of the bath and wrap yourself in a towel. As you enter the bedroom you search the drawers and find a single set of unisex pajamas. Slipping them on you realise they are too large for you as they hang off your body. No drawstring on the trouser portion either, only an elasticated waist that as you walk you can feel slipping off your body. Once again the phrase, Fuck it, enters your mind as you slide them off again and fold them neatly before placing them back into the draw. You begin to make your bed. You have images of a man flash through your mind, a tall, muscular man with a face that seems to be just out of focus. He's showing you how to properly fold the corners of a sheet, and how to tuck the duvet so tight you could bounce a dime off it.
Laying dow, despite the pain that coursed through your body, the unfamiliar environment, and your own unfamiliarity with yourself. Despite a thousand questions invading your thoughts, you still found you drifted off without effort. In the morning you found yourself not awoken by the sounds of birds but once again the sounds of gunfire and explosions in the distance.
Making your way into the bathroom, still groggy from your slumber, you instinctively reach out for your toothbrush only to find nothing there. You rub your eyes and for the first time, you see your reflection. This wasn't your face you thought as you were greeted by the face of a monster, Blacked out eyes with a yellow iris. Your skin which you felt had always been a fair shade, is now a ghostly white, and from your skull, two horns protrude. You touch your face, pulling down at your lower eyelid then pushing your fingers into your cheeks. To your displeasure, your reflection mirrors your movements putting any thoughts that this was in fact not a mirror, out of your mind. Was this a dream? That would explain why everything feels fuzzy.
The hotel is silent besides the soft snoring sound of someone down the hall. You make extra effort when opening and closing your door, not wanting to disturb anyone. Being awake at this hour felt natural somehow, as though you'd always been an early riser. Tiptoeing around felt like second nature to you but in your confused and exhausted state last night, combined with the unfamiliar location, you had not paid notice to an exceptionally squeaky floorboard that as you stepped on it echoed. You felt as though you might have well just rang a fire alarm for how the sound seemed to travel through the empty halls.
You glance around, feeling frozen in place but as you listen carefully for anyone, any movement. Nothing but the continued snores from down the hall put your mind at ease as you slowly remove your foot from the board, now moving at a snail's pace, often lightly pressing your foot on the floor in front of you before applying your full weight to it as though the floor could be trapped.
Finally reaching the bottom of the stairs after several close calls with the floorboards, you make your way around the ground floor of the hotel. A dining hall, library, sitting room, and even a ballroom until eventually, you find yourself in an industrial kitchen. Opening the cupboards you note the lack of food for such a sizable kitchen. Most of them are barren or the food in them is out of date. Eventually, you find some instant coffee, thankfully something that is in date. Before even looking, you knew there would be no milk in the fridge, but hope springs eternal. Black coffee it is.
You set to boiling the kettle but find yourself lost in your thoughts. You still hadn't got what was the deal with this place. Charlie who appeared to be the owner, was friendly enough...if sometimes a little too friendly. Vaggie seemed a little cold but was still probably the most level-headed person here. You were still trying to get a feel for Husk and Nifty. It takes you a few moments to clock the whistling of the kettle begins to bubble up. "shit" you exclaim as you hurridly take it off the stove. Pulling the lid up to release steam and silence the damn thing as quickly as you are able. In doing so you burn your hand as steam blasts out the top, but not wishing to disturb anyone any more than you already have, you refuse to drop the kettle lid to try and move your hand away hastily.
You clench a hold of your hand before remembering what your mother taught you about running it under cold water to stop the burning. You rush to the sink, turning the handle the tap clunks a few times before a steady stream of water flows over the burn. You can't help but drop your head as you continue to hold your hand under the flow. I'm useless you thought to yourself but then a moment of joy washes over you as you realize...you remembered something. You couldn't picture her face, the sound of her voice or her name but you'd remembered something else. Unlike last night you were now rested enough to appreciate this moment, dancing a little jig of joy.
After a few minutes, you take your now sore hand, to match your sore head, out from under the water and turn off the tap. Which to your delight does not clunk or thud as you do so, Another win you guess. You pour the boiling hot water over the coffee and holding the mug in your hands, wait for it to cool. Occasionally blowing it to expedite the process.
You can't help to hum to yourself, not knowing where the tune came from but it brings you some level of comfort. Slowly the words begin to return to you.
"At a clear fountain
When going for a walk
I found the water so beautiful
That I bathed there
I have loved you for a long time
I will never forget you"
Just as you take a breath to sing the next chorus you hear a voice from behind you sing out.
"Sous les feuilles..."
You turn abruptly, startled, you turn on your heels and instantly bump into the source of the voice. Spilling still-hot coffee over the top of you both. Behind you, a tall and slender man dressed in a finely tailored red suit, on his face an unnaturally wide grin. He stared down at you. His hooded eyes never blinking. However, the sound of a radio static screeches is what really catches your attention.
"I am so sorry" you blurt out as you hurridly search for a towel or even a dishcloth. He stands there, and the static sound continues although as if it's trying to tune into a station. You however are too fixated on trying to find something to clean him up with. You feel a hand grasp onto your arm and four sharp and cold points now pressed against your flesh, not enough to pierce the skin or even hurt you but the cold comes as enough of a shock to you to notice them. You stop in your tracks and turn to face him once again, spluttering several words of your deepest apologies. He retains his grip on your arm and cracks his neck to one side, his smile never fading. You feel his eyes examining your face before one word slips out of his lips. "Belle"
"Who?" You ask, perplexed. His neck cracks back into the upright position once again as he releases your arm. "Well dear, I'm Alastor, it's an absolute pleasure to see you!" His voice rang out, there was an odd static to it and a smooth transatlantic accent that you thought had been out of fashion for so long now but it somehow suited him. You curtsey to him, before extending your hand. "I'm..." you stutter for a second "Well I'm still trying to work that out but it is a pleasure to meet you Alastor. You can almost see the cogs turning behind his crimson eyes. Only now noticing them and could not help but feel slightly creeped out by them. But then thinking back to your own face this morning.
"How splendid to meet someone with manners, Most of the clientele here are so brash." He pulls his cane in front of him, which now seeing it, it appears to be a microphone, and drops into a bow towards you. Despite his pleasant demeanor, the more you look at this man, the more you notice, the more you think how unnerving his appearance is. An awkward silence lingers as though he is waiting for you to say something. "Your jacket Sir". You gesture towards the coffee that you were now growing increasingly worried that it would stain. "Oh pish" he stated and now raising a hand to and clicking his fingers. Before your eyes, you notice the stains seem to fade away as though being absorbed by the suit before vanishing into nothing.
You proceed to glance down at your chest and notice the spill that had been on your own shirt has now also disappeared. You also now, however, remember that you are only dressed in a long nightshirt. The hem of which only falls about mid-thigh on you. "So, you're a magician?" you say as you try to avert his attention from you, now pulling at the hem of the shirt in an unsuccessful attempt to cover yourself more. As you say this the air around you feels somehow electrically charged as Alastor's smile falters for just a moment. "Good one!" He remarked with a loudness that took you by surprise. "But no" he continued now at his usual volume. "I am merely an investor and co-manager of this fine establishment."
"I am so sorry, that was meant to be a joke, it's been a long day" You rasped out.
"But it's only 6 am, the day has but begun". As he said this you could hear the sound of a laugh track. Was his mic a speaker as well you pondered.
"I've not had my coffee yet" you protested,
"Ah ha ha" He cheered "Well the coffee was bitter anyway. Did no one tell you not to add boiling water directly to coffee? It burns the beans and whilst I quite enjoy bitter foods, I must admit that is one flavor I find quite unpalatable". In that moment you felt as though he was telling you off. You had not made the coffee for him and yet here he was chastising you.
"Well it is not my fault there's no milk here. Normally I'd add that first". You retort back at him with a slightly snappy tone to which he simply shakes his head and tuts.
"Well, why didn't you say so!" He exclaimed, once again making you jump a little. He raises his hand and materializes a small porcelain jug of milk in his hand to which he holds out to you.
You take it and once his hand is free again he snaps his fingers causing the stove burner to fire up. "You have to watch the kettle, watch the steam mon cherie" He purrs out. obediently you place the kettle back on the stove and he leans in close, maybe a little too close. His face is about the same height as yours. You find yourself stealing glances now that you are both at the same level, faces inches away from one another. More specifically you find yourself paying attention to his teeth, like a shark you think. Sharp serrated rows. At this moment you feel this is what it would be like to swim with sharks, so intriguing but at the same time, one wrong move and you could lose an arm. You regain your focus on the kettle once again, now noticing through its reflection, his gaze seems to be more fixated on you. You couldn't be sure for certain and with his perpetual smile, it made it even harder to judge any intentions.
As the kettle started to simmer, a light steam wafted out of the spout, he took the bottom of his cane and proceeded to lift it off the stove. He instructs you to now pour the coffee, grabbing a second cup for himself to which you also fill before taking the milk jug. You pour half in your mug but note it's a lot darker than you would usually enjoy. As you go to pour some in his mug he softly places his hand atop it. "None for me Cher, that's all yours. It should be to your liking" He says, grabbing his mug off the countertop. "You know you should smile more, you're never dressed without a smile." He beamed out. "And that's saying a lot considering your current attire" He adds, his voice now low and dripping with sarcasm. Something that seemed out of place for this unsettling yet somehow well-mannered man.
You turn around and pour the last of it into your mug and to your surprise, he was right. It was exactly the right amount for how you liked your coffee. "How'd you know I like my..." Your voice trails off as you turn around and notice Alastor is nowhere to be seen. You exit the kitchen in search of him but he seems to have vanished. You shrug it off and take a sip of your coffee and you hate to admit it but he was right, rich flavors wash over your tongue, and despite knowing it was instant coffee, you feel as though you can taste the flavors in depth. Not bad Alastor, not bad at all, you thought.