**Two short stories** comprise this text. The first recounts a childhood memory of witnessing a man's death and observing strange, moving black strands emanating from his body, possibly a previously unknown parasitic infection, leaving the narrator to contemplate a growing societal rage. The second details a man's struggle with alcoholism, culminating in a surreal encounter in a shadowy bar where he confronts his addiction and a demonic entity that represents his vices. The narrator ultimately resists succumbing to temptation and chooses sobriety. The stories conclude with a call for readers to fight against their inner demons.