The Hat Man

The real-world nightmare that inspired the Gothic dark fantasy – Augustine.

At least, this is my experience of The Hat Man.

For centuries, people across cultures and continents have reported a terrifyingly similar figure: a faceless man cloaked in shadow, wearing an old-fashioned hat. His presence is almost always felt during episodes of sleep paralysis, trauma, or periods of extreme stress.

But not for me.

When I had the pleasure of The Hat Man’s company—brief as it was—there was no fear, or paralysis, or stress. Only a strong sense of wrongness. I was young—very young—but my memories of him are vivid.

So, who is The Hat Man?

Unlike traditional ghost stories or folklore that vary by region, reports of The Hat Man are disturbingly consistent:

• Over six feet tall
• Wears a brimmed hat and a long coat or cloak
• Mostly appears during the night
• Doesn’t speak—just watches, intensely
• No identifiable features, as his face is hidden in shadow
• Some claim to have seen red eyes, but this wasn’t my experience

Documentaries have been made of The Hat Man. Movies have been made and books have been written. Even entire online communities are devoted to sightings of him, yet still, no one knows who he is or where he comes from. And though there are many interpretations, none of them are comforting.

For instance, some believe he is one of the shadow people—supernatural entities made of darkness. Or perhaps he is a leader among the shadow people—possibly more intelligent or malevolent?

Intelligent? Maybe. But I felt no malevolence from him.

Psychologists often blame his sightings on sleep paralysis, claiming The Hat Man is a projection of the subconscious—a manifestation of fear or suppressed emotion.

Thousands of people manifesting the exact same figure around the globe. Really?

Then there’s the interdimensional traveller, a psychic parasite feeding on grief or fear, an alien, and of course, a demonic presence.

Personally, I prefer the interdimensional traveller theory, but in all honesty, I have no clue who he is OR what he wants.

My most vivid memory of The Hat Man was seeing him standing beside my bed, looking over me … watching.  A silhouette in a wide-brimmed hat and a cloak who never spoke, never moved. Today, I would liken his appearance to that of Van Helsing played by Hugh Jackman. But it wasn’t until I saw the Van Helsing movie that I could put a likeness to him, and it wasn’t until many years later that I learned of the global phenomenon that is The Hat Man.

Until then, I had wondered if it was all in my head—a nightmare perhaps—even though my memory of him is, and always has been, unnervingly clear.

Then, years later, The Hat Man became more than just a terrifying concept.

He became the seed of a story.

A man outside of time, neither alive nor dead. Not just a nightmare, but a keeper of secrets. A guardian of things buried.

This is what led to the creation of Augustine. In Augustine, The Hat Man is something both personal and mythic—an echo of the past, and a harbinger of things to come.

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Have you seen The Hat Man?

If you’ve ever felt watched in the night …

If you’ve ever seen something lurking in the shadows …

Then perhaps you’ve met him too!

Comment below if you believe you’ve seen him. I’d love to hear from others who have experienced this phenomenon.

And if you’re curious as to how he reaches into the heart of Augustine, you can find the book HERE.