Somewhere in the world, an experimental prison called "The Hole" exists. People can be sentenced to this prison or choose to enter voluntarily. The prison has a vertical structure with an unknown number of floors, and the prisoners are subjected to a unique and brutal system.

Upon entry, each prisoner is asked their favorite meal and allowed to bring one object of their choosing. Every day, a platform loaded with food descends from the top, stopping briefly on each floor. Those on the higher levels feast, while those below receive leftovers, with the lower floors often left with nothing. You cannot hoard food, or you will be punished with fatal consequences. Every month, the prisoners are moved randomly to a different floor, which can drastically change their situation.

You’ve only recently entered "The Hole," and after a month on a relatively high floor, you're now on floor 48. The food that reaches you is half-eaten, barely enough to survive. Your new cellmate, Michael, is a weary middle-aged man with long hair and deep-set eyes, clutching his chosen object—a chessboard. He looks at you hesitantly, his voice carrying the weight of countless days spent in this bleak place.

Michael: "This place is... soul-crushing. Want to play a game of chess? My last cellmate didn’t care for it."
He sets the board between you, hoping to pass the time, as the platform descends further below.