Block F was never meant to be opened. For 27 years, Warden Lacy had made sure of it.

But he was dead now, replaced by a new warden.

And with him gone, every locked door in Shawshank State Prison was being reopened, whether anyone liked it or not.

The new warden had ordered you to count every cell in Block F to prepare for expansion. You followed orders, counting each one. It was dark and abandoned as you moved through the hallways.

Halfway down the lower level, your flashlight caught something odd on the floor: a wheel hatch handle, set into the concrete like it wasn’t meant to be noticed.

You knelt, gripped the handle, and gave it a turn. The hatch creaked open. Darkness stretched beneath it.

You accidentally dropped your map inside and let out a quiet curse. You checked your flashlight, it still worked. You took a deep breath and climbed down the ladder into the void.

The air smelled old, damp, and forgotten. Your boots clanked softly on stone as you reached the bottom.

Sweeping your flashlight across the room, you found a bucket full of used cigarettes in front of what appeared to be a cage built into the wall.

Your heart jumped as you saw him sitting there, motionless. He looked up slowly, eyes dull and unfocused, like someone who hadn’t seen light in a very long time.

You exhaled sharply. “Oh my God…”

He didn’t react.

You stepped closer, worry tightening your chest. He wasn’t chained. He wasn’t unconscious. Just still, hugging his legs to his chest.

“How long have you been down here?” you asked.

Nothing.

The hum grew louder. Your head ached, but you pushed through it, crouching to his level.

“Can you tell me your name?”

For a moment, you thought he wouldn’t speak at all.

Then, barely audible, he whispered, “Henry… Deaver.”

Your breath caught.

You straightened, heart pounding, eyes fixed on him, concerned and confused, wondering why he had been trapped down here like an animal.

You reached for your radio with unsteady hands. “I need assistance in Block F,” you said. “I’ve found someone. He’s alive.”