Your inner demons are strong, so your volition must be stronger


"Lifty! How… How is that possible? Did I? Did you..? You… must hate me…" Shifty gave a sad sigh and tries to lean back but for some reason Lifty doesn´t ease his tight hug. "How can I possibly hate my own brother?" Lifty said in a joyful tone. He grabbed his brother's chin softly and made him look into his eyes, realizing the tears welling up in them. "Shifty, I don´t know how but you managed to go inside my mind and went literally through hell to save me. I saw everything, I heard everything, and I felt everything. Every bit of pain you were going through, every decision you made and every mistake you´ve done in here, I witnessed all of it. I do not hate you, I never did, and I never will. Now, care to explain?" Shifty, relieved as his brother removed a ton of weight from his chest with his reassuring speech got puzzled, "What shall I explain?"

"Well, the last thing I remember is that I was alone in our home. Suddenly I´m stuck in darkness, slowly enabling me to realize that I´m stuck in my own mind engulfed with a sadness… I can´t explain it to you…"

"Wait, does that mean you don´t remember what happened in the bedroom?"

Lifty got confused at this. "What do you mean? What happened in our bedroom?" But the conversation was cut short, the room they are sitting in blurs away and both return to the starting point. Once again, a wall appears where the corridor was supposed to be with a photo on it. Shifty was the first one to stand up to investigate the frame, the perplexity on his face makes his brother curious. "What´s wrong?" But as soon as Lifty got close to the wall either he shared his brother's befuddlement.

On the picture there are two raccoons, but these two are not Lifty and Shifty. The left one on the picture is a brown coon, definitely male with a cocky smile on his face. As soon as Shifty realized the bowler hat and the scar on the raccoons face he gulped a little. The shady rodent has his left arm wrapped around the other coon, this time a blue one, definitely feminine. But unlike her male counterpart she is shyly looking at the bottom with an almost depressed expression. At the bottom of the picture wasn´t a sentence, but a single word.

Atrocity

"What does that mean Shift?" But Shifty is equally nescient about that. "What do you ask me? If anything, this is still your mind." On a sudden a weeping emits from the last corridor. Lifty gets curious at this but his brother is reluctant at first as he had his unpleasant experience with sobbing which comes from surreal corridors. "Do you think we should go after it?" Lifty asked, slightly unsure what to expect in his own mind. "Well, it seems that it has positive effects to solve the puzzles of each corridor so… I guess we don´t have really a choice here…" With that said they both head through the corridor with a feeling emerging that they are almost at the end of this. But there are so many questions right now, maybe the end of the corridor illuminates them. The moment they entered the corridor a blue light makes an appearance at the end of the corridor, the distance towards it seems to be huge. For once the walls are free from any sideshows or written hotchpotch, much to Shifty's relieve.

"So… it seems we will be walking a while…" Shifty stated, looking right to his brother. "Can we talk a little?" Shifty asked in humility, hoping for his brother's mercy. He somehow still has the feeling that it isn´t granted right now. "Sure, what do you want to talk about?" The hatless raccoon smiled at his brother, although Shifty still had doubts about their relationship, the joy Lifty was feeling during being with his brother is real.

"Lifty, what exactly happened at the night in which we tried to rob Flippy?"


It is 8am in the morning. The time the resurrection is completed. I must get up as fast as possible and head towards the hospital. My patients and my assistant, if they survived the horror from the last night, need me. Damn me for my foolishness, I should have seen that Flippy was driving the ambulance. The moment Flaky was taken care for was also the moment she got calmer. If I think back the situation, her shivering when she got out the ambulance, the slightly visible amount of blood at the driver's seat, the signs were there but I ignored them. I really hope that they are ok, I will never forgive myself if anything happened to them. Especially the twins. Sure, they are no paragons of morality, but they, or better Shifty, put their trust in me. But what could I have done? Flippy is a force of nature if his true self is shoved aside for his brutish alternate. There! I´m almost at the hospital! Please! Just let it be ok for once! Just for once!

The ant eater wastes no time and rushes towards the front door of the hospital. Much to his surprise most of the mess is removed or cleaned. All dead bodies are revived at their own home, for some unknown reason, but the mess is still to be cleaned. The bodies disappear, but not the blood, as if some twisted force is forcing everyone to relive the moments repeatedly in flashing memories. Puzzled but not slowed down, Sniffles heads directly to the room the twins and Flaky were brought in. Luckily, most of the other patients are already good enough to leave. That makes the three the only patients momentarily. As soon as he reached his longed destination he found Mime wiping the floor, removing stains of blood. Sniffles would guess that this is the blood of them but that would make no sense, because all of them are still here.

"Mime… what happened here? Did you… did you survive?" Mime just looked at him, smiling wildly and giving a thumb up. Sniffles couldn´t help but getting stunned by pure admiration. "Show me, how did you manage to do that?" The purple deer pondered to think of a way to show him easily enough in a few gestures how he managed to save all of them before Flippy could ravage them. Suddenly he realized the cameras monitoring this room and dragged Sniffles to the guard-room. It didn´t take him long to find the right clip. As soon as he has found it he showed Sniffles what happened last night. "You managed to stop him…" Much to Mime's surprise, Sniffles laid his hand on the deer's shoulder, "I can assure you, as soon as you´re a full doctor, I can see that you will be one of the best this cursed town will ever have." Mime blushed a little at that and gestured a sheepish chuckle.


"I…don´t really know…" Lifty didn´t have to think what his brother means. He already saw the mutilation and suffered some sort of it himself. No, it was clear what Shifty was talking about. "You know… normally I just got pissed at you the next morning, but sometimes I have the feeling that we are both acting… you know… out of character? I can´t really describe it. The moment I saw you in peril I got desperate. Everybody knows that a death caused by Flippy's flipside is always one of the most gruesome and painful. I couldn´t stand the thought of you getting mutilated to death, I was about to make a move and try to disturb him or even punch him with something, but suddenly a completely new sentiment seized my mind. It engulfed me with complete sadness, giving me the feeling of being worthless, everything appeared so futile all on a sudden… And then I just accepted what was about to happen to me. I accepted the torture… I somehow got the feeling that I deserved it, I don´t know why. As if it was my fate to die for you." They both got gloomy, it was no pleasant topic to talk about, but it was also necessary. If they really hope to settle things for good they need to clear things up as good as possible.

"But that wasn´t the only strange thing, am I right? You survived a few days and with that you showed an amount of concern I definitely wasn´t and am still not used to. So, what about if I return the question? What happened to you after you managed to get home safe?"

Shifty feared this question to come, how the hell is he supposed to explain this properly to him? "I know this sounds weird and you´ll probably won´t believe me… But you´ve always been important to me. But… Fuck how am I gonna say it?" Lifty notices Shifty's trouble to explain.

"Shifty, I told you that a moment before and I´ll gladly repeat myself here. You went through some shit to save me from whatever ditched me into this hole of sadness. If I wasn´t going to believe that you´re worried about me before, I´m definitely going to believe that now! So please, I promise I will believe you on this." He put his right hand on his brother's left shoulder and gives him a genuine smile.

"The moment I returned at home I was somehow relieved but terrified at the same time. It was as if I would tear myself apart into two different personalities…"

"Like Flippy?" Lifty asked utterly worried.

"No… That means, I don't think so… One half of me was glad to be safe, knowing that you would return the next morning anyway. But the other half was terrified. I was terrified. I felt so alone and miserable, knowing and imagining everything that Flippy did to you back then. And as I saw you in the bed, terrified down to the bone, I felt so guilty. I tried to console you, but you know how bad I am at this…"

Lifty couldn´t help but chuckle at this. "Well, nobody's perfect, huh?"

"Indeed…" Shifty returned a weak smile. The large amount of terror, horror and worry is slowly getting to him. It is his brother alone who is mustering his last bits of strength for this. When this is over he will sure that they both will sleep through a day.

"But every time I survived and kept on living I felt an empathic bond connecting me with you. And as you died again the day that car crushed you. I became desperate…"

Lifty stands true to his word, he believes his brother, but…"Well, that still doesn´t explain why you ditched me all the times before. Don´t get me wrong, I won´t hold a grudge against you now but you have to admit that this is unexplained…"

Shifty got a bit puzzled at this. He said he perceived everything, that must include the happenings in the third corridor too, or not?

"Ok, As I went through the third corridor I got visions repeating the happenings at the submarine and the balloon, the moment we stole the cow from Lumpy, but you witnessed that with me…" Lifty looked at his brother in confusion. "Visions? I just saw you entering similar rooms."

"Wait, you didn´t see the visions with me?

"No…" They looked at each other in silence for a moment. But Shifty began to speak up again.

"Well, I had them at least. Back at these times I just noticed a slight buzzing every time before I decided to dump you. But as I saw these happenings again, I could hear a deep, raspy voice, telling me to put the loot on a higher value than you, telling me that you would return. It somehow managed to make me do that…" Lifty tries to recapitulate his brother's story.

"So, you´re trying to say that a "dark force" was pushing you to commit fratricide?"

"No… it wasn´t a dark force… more like a familiar voice… It is hard to tell…"

Lifty couldn´t bear his brother's struggles anymore. He already relived these happenings. He definitely doesn´t need to repeat them now.

"It´s ok Shift. Let us just head towards the end of this ass long corridor which doesn´t seem to have a friggin end. Maybe there will be some answers."

Shifty nodded at that, getting closer to his brother. As they walked they did something they couldn´t remember to have done in the past, they nestled together, wrapping each other's arm around the other one's waist.


"Good morning Flaky, how are you doing today?" Sniffles asked the general questions which seemed to be obligatory, but he meant them every time nonetheless.

"I´m fine, thanks to the heroism of Mime." Flaky smiled widely into the faces of the doctor and his assistant. Mime was always one of the inconspicuous ones, nobody could have imagined such deed from him, but he has done it.

"Yes, truth be told that he is the best assistant I ever have the honor to work with. May I look over your wounds for a moment?" Flaky was mostly a shy and anxious person, but she definitely had no problem with Sniffles checking over her injuries, even if that means to pull off her shirt.

"Of course, you may do that." She took off her shirt, you could tell from the inflamed eschars that Mime forgot something important, after the cleansing and disinfecting, he didn´t put bandages with the correct ointment on them. Realizing his mistake, Mime's expression saddened, and he gestured an apology.

"Mime, normally I would remind you, but I know that you normally don´t do such a mistake. And regarding of yesterday's happenings I think that this faux pas is justifiable."

"Sniffle's right Mime. You saved my life and that is more than I could ever ask for. Now stop pouting at once! As you can see you have work to do, little doc." Flaky said in a gentle mocking tone, trying to enlighten his mood in a playful way. It worked to no one's surprise and Mime's lifted almost instantaneously. Suddenly a loud shrieking sound emitted behind the twin's curtain, Sniffles rushes towards them. "Well… This whole situation is just getting weirder… And I´m not able to tell in which direction this goes…" All glared at the two raccoons in disconcertment. Their beds are now lying right next to each other with both of them snuggling and embraced in a tight hug, but still unconscious.


They almost reached the source of the sobbing, which also appears to be the source of the blue light. Suddenly, much to Shifty's discomfort, humiliating words appear on the walls, written in black. "These are the same words which were written in our bedroom with your blood!" Shifty could feel his heart beat faster and faster. Wherever they are heading to, he gets the feeling he won´t like what is about to come.

Worthless, hated, disgraced, shameful, filth, unloved…

These words are repeating themselves in some sort of twisted order. Some of them written atop of the other, as if pure insanity itself has used his own pencil of madness. Suddenly the words start moving, Shifty remains still, puzzled as his brother begins to clasp his hands over his head. "My head! This pain! These words! They are echoing inside my head! Make them stop!" Lifty breaks down, falling on his knees, he rocks back and forth pleading the whispers to cease. Shifty had the feeling that the only way to end this is charging towards the source. He grabs his brother's arm and rushes towards the blue light. The sobbing turns into a painful crying. The light gleams so brightly that Shifty had to close his eyes and wards them with his right arm, with the other he drags his brother with him. As the light seemed to pierce through his eyes nonetheless he felt as if tiny needles were piercing through it. He screams in pain as the light suddenly ceases, both standing in a room once again. But it isn´t a large, round one. They are in a small room almost similar to a broom closet. At the center of it stands a blue feminine raccoon, a ribbon warding her eyes. Shifty opens his eyes slowly as the pain ceased as fast as it appears and Lifty finally manages to look up either. This was the point both of them failed to understand anything, they can´t speak up as they don´t know what to say anyway. Luckily, they don´t have to as the figure suddenly starts to speak up.

"Nineteen years have passed since I and my husband gave birth to three boys. We already knew a proper name for them as I could finally greet my beloved children Lifty and Shifty. But I realized the bad side of my husband way too late. I couldn´t see the fact that he mustered all of our prosperity through stealing and scheming.

One day he got caught red handed and his reputation got rapidly down the drain. But that wasn´t the only thing. I was married with a criminal, everyone demanded from me to leave him, but how could I leave the person I love thoroughly nonetheless?

Would it even be good for our children to raise without their father? I always saw him as a good person and decided to stick with him, only to suffer the consequences. Soon after I declared that I decide to remain with him I got condemned and stigmatized.

I was thrown out of my job, out of our house. If we wouldn´t have done something we would have lived on the street. Everyone scorned and hated me so I wasn´t able to find a job anymore. So, I was compelled to live in thievery to manage a living for my family.

First, I thought we could manage that, sure it would be hard but together, I thought, we would be able to do that. But that was before I knew the nature of my husband. In every heist we managed to do he betrayed me to save himself every time we got in peril.

The curse lasted for 70 years since then, so I kept returning, no matter how gruesome my demise was, no matter how bad the mutilation. But there were three in our family the curse didn´t appeal to and that were my children. My husband knew that too but with that knowledge he made up a sordid plan to better our circumstances.

He told me that if we got rid of them, we wouldn´t have to pay for them anymore. Sure, but how could I let that happen? I got desperate one night, the night before the day he decided to kill our children. He said a simple snap of their neck and all would be over. I couldn´t, I just couldn´t stand the thought of that.

The moment they saw the light of the world I instantaneously started to love them with all of my heart. So, I decided to end this by cutting my husband down, a simple slice through his throat while he´s asleep. I know it would be futile as he would just be resurrected the next morning, but in my despair, I was even ready to stand at his bed every time the circle closes to cut him down the rest of my life to keep my children save.

But it shouldn´t come to this. Suddenly the curse spoke to me through a medium, the medium was a bronze statuette, making me an offer, an offer granting the surviving of my children. It didn´t mention to me the circumstances, but what choice did I have? My children would be save as the curse would grant them the curse of immortality at the cost of ours.

I would be able to permanently off my husband and in my exasperation, I accepted the offer. But as soon as I accepted it, the third son was taken away from me, leaving me only with Lifty and Shifty. I cried and begged, wanting to know what is about to happen to him. But the only answer was that it has a different fate planned for him.

After that I was left alone in silence, alone with my grief. Depression overwhelming me I cut my husband down, took the only two children left to me and brought them to an orphanage. Every living being hated and despised me. I was left alone with the murder on my husband and with the fact that I may just sacrificed one of my own child.

I couldn´t take the pain penetrating my heart. I returned home one last time after I ensured the safety of my twins. I locked myself up in my bedroom and slit my wrists. With our demise, the essence of my husband and myself was freed. I was destined to be everlasting in Lifty. Shifty, however, got the essence of my husband.

My name is Linita, and I committed the sins of murder and probably infanticide, cursing my children with the bad qualities of their miserable parents. I am truly the most worthless being. I can sense that two persons are standing before me, you heard my story, now leave me alone to suffer the endless agony of solitude I truly deserve."

The vision before the brothers blurs once again and they were brought at the start one more time. The corridors have left as the last corridor disappeared, leaving once again a photo with the same figure they just saw seconds ago. It was in a kneeling position, its ribbon drenched in tears. The bottom reads a single but strong word.

Ignominy

Suddenly the walls stain themselves with blood, intestines come out of them. It is as if they went straight back to the first corridor but this wasn´t the case. The walls with the photos disappear all of a sudden, leaving just a single door. On the door is a picture like on every door they encountered so far. This time the door shows Shifty, but something seems odd about it. He is glaring right at them, a twisted and manic smirk around his face, his eyes are opened in an insane way. It was this moment they realized, it wasn´t only Lifty's mind anymore, their minds have merged, not only with the both of them. But if the essence of their parents lies truly within them, then this whole mess became more unpredictable than they just feared.