Chapter 2 -Framed and Forgotten: A Fight for Truth and Vengeance

Read Time:8 Minute, 46 Second

Chapter 2: Prison Shadows

The steel doors of Silverbrook Penitentiary slammed shut behind Ethan Cole, the sound reverberating through his mind like a final nail in the coffin of his former life. The cold, sterile walls of the prison stood tall and unyielding, casting long shadows over the narrow corridors that would become his new world. It was a place devoid of hope, where the clinking of chains and the murmurs of inmates created an eerie symphony of despair. Ethan, now a convicted murderer, entered this world with a heart full of dread and a mind racing with questions.

As he was processed into the system, stripped of his civilian clothes, and handed the rough, ill-fitting uniform of a prisoner, Ethan couldn’t help but feel like a stranger in his own skin. His identity, his innocence, his very sense of self—all had been stolen the moment the judge declared him guilty. Now, he was nothing more than a number, just another nameless face lost in the prison’s shadowy depths.

The guards barely spared him a glance as they led him to his cell. Their faces were hardened from years of dealing with men who had long ago lost their humanity. They treated every inmate the same, whether they were first-timers or lifers—cold, indifferent, and distant. To them, Ethan was just another body to be locked away, another soul destined to rot behind bars.

Ethan’s cell was small and barren, with a thin mattress on a metal frame, a stainless steel toilet, and a sink in the corner. There was barely enough space to move, the walls pressing in on him like the weight of his conviction. The scent of sweat and decay hung heavy in the air, mixing with the distant sound of shouting and laughter from the yard. Prison was a place where time seemed to stand still, where days bled into nights with no distinction between them. The routines were relentless, designed to break men down until they became hollow versions of their former selves.

Ethan was assigned a cellmate—a grizzled, older man named Ray who had spent over two decades behind bars. Ray was a seasoned veteran of prison life, his face lined with the stories of countless battles fought and lost within these walls. He had the look of a man who had long since accepted his fate, his eyes dull and tired, his posture slouched as if the weight of his sentence had finally broken him.

Ray eyed Ethan up and down when he entered the cell, his expression unreadable. Ethan, still reeling from the whirlwind that had led him to this place, wasn’t sure how to approach him. In prison, alliances could mean the difference between life and death, but trust was a rare and dangerous commodity.

“You the new guy, huh?” Ray’s voice was gruff, barely above a whisper, but it carried the weight of authority. He had seen dozens of men come and go, each one thinking they were different, that they could survive this place. Most of them didn’t.

Ethan nodded, unsure of what to say. He hadn’t spoken much since the verdict was handed down, the shock of it all still fresh in his mind. But here, in the belly of the beast, he would have to find his voice again, or risk being swallowed whole by the prison’s unforgiving nature.

“First time?” Ray asked, though it wasn’t really a question. He could tell just by looking at Ethan that he was a fish out of water.

“Yeah,” Ethan replied, his voice barely above a whisper.

Ray nodded knowingly. “You’ll learn quick. This place… it’s a different world. You fight, or you’re done.”

The words hung in the air like a warning, and Ethan felt the weight of them settle in his chest. He had never been a violent man. Conflict wasn’t in his nature. But this wasn’t the world he had known on the outside. Here, survival was the only currency that mattered.

As the days passed, Ethan began to understand what Ray had meant. Prison was a world governed by its own brutal code of conduct, where strength and alliances dictated who survived and who didn’t. There were unspoken rules—don’t look too long at anyone, don’t speak unless spoken to, and never, under any circumstances, show weakness. The guards were merely there to maintain a fragile semblance of order, but the real power lay with the inmates, the ones who had carved out empires within these walls.

Ethan learned quickly that the prison was divided into factions—groups of inmates who had banded together for protection, power, and control over the prison’s black-market economy. There were the lifers, men who had nothing left to lose and everything to gain by maintaining their grip on the prison’s underworld. Then there were the gangs, organized and ruthless, their members bound by blood and loyalty. These groups ran the show, controlling everything from contraband smuggling to protection rackets. To survive in prison, you either aligned with one of them or kept your head down and stayed out of their way.

Ethan had no intention of joining a gang. He wasn’t interested in the politics of the prison or the power struggles that played out in the yard every day. His mind was consumed by a single, burning thought: escape. But escaping from a maximum-security prison like Silverbrook wasn’t something a man could do alone. He needed allies, and that’s where Ray came in.

Despite his gruff exterior, Ray had taken a surprising interest in Ethan. Perhaps he saw something in the younger man that reminded him of his own early days in prison, or maybe he simply saw an opportunity. Either way, Ray began to share his knowledge with Ethan, teaching him the ins and outs of prison life. He explained which guards could be bribed, which inmates to avoid, and where the blind spots in the security cameras were. Ray had been planning his own escape for years, but he had never found the right moment to execute it. Now, with Ethan’s arrival, that moment seemed closer than ever.

One night, as they lay in their bunks, Ray broke the silence that usually filled their cell. “You know, I’ve been here a long time,” he said, his voice low and gravelly. “Long enough to know that nobody escapes this place alone. You need help. You need someone who knows the ropes, who can get things done.”

Ethan turned his head slightly, listening intently. He hadn’t spoken of his desire to escape, but Ray had read him like a book.

“I’ve been planning something for a while now,” Ray continued. “But it’s risky, nearly impossible. The timing has never been right… until now.”

Ethan’s pulse quickened. He sat up slightly in his bunk, his eyes narrowing. “What are you talking about?”

Ray glanced around the cell, as if checking to make sure no one was listening, even though they were alone. “There’s a weak spot in the system. It’s during the transfer process. Every few months, they move a group of inmates to another facility. It’s a long drive, through some pretty remote areas. The guards let their guard down sometimes, and that’s when we make our move.”

Ethan’s heart raced at the thought of escaping. It was the first glimmer of hope he’d felt since being sentenced. But he knew the risks. If they were caught, the consequences would be dire—solitary confinement, added years to their sentences, or worse.

“How do you know this will work?” Ethan asked, his voice steady despite the rush of adrenaline coursing through him.

Ray leaned forward, his eyes glinting in the dim light of the cell. “I’ve been watching for years. The guards, their routines, the weak links in the system—I know them all. And I’ve got someone on the inside. A guard who’s… let’s just say, not exactly loyal to the system.”

Ethan’s mind raced. This was it. This was his chance to escape, to clear his name, and to find the person who had framed him. But he couldn’t shake the feeling of dread that accompanied the idea. Escaping from prison was one thing, but what awaited him on the outside? His entire life had been ripped apart, his reputation destroyed, and the people who had betrayed him were still out there, free to continue their lives while he rotted in prison.

Still, the desire for freedom, for revenge, was too strong to ignore. Ethan knew that if he stayed in prison, he would lose himself completely. He would become just another broken man, consumed by the system that had falsely convicted him. No, he couldn’t let that happen. He had to fight.

“I’m in,” Ethan said, his voice firm with resolve. “I’ll do whatever it takes.”

Ray nodded, a sly grin tugging at the corners of his mouth. “Good. We’ve got a lot of work to do, kid. But when the time comes, you’d better be ready.”

In the weeks that followed, Ethan and Ray began laying the groundwork for their escape. It was a delicate operation, one that required precision and patience. They couldn’t afford any mistakes. Ray used his connections within the prison to secure supplies—makeshift tools, information on guard schedules, and the cooperation of a few trusted inmates. Ethan learned to move in the shadows, keeping his head down and his eyes open. He was no longer the naive, innocent man who had first entered Silverbrook. The prison had changed him, hardened him in ways he hadn’t expected.

He found himself watching the other inmates closely, assessing who could be trusted and who couldn’t. The prison was filled with predators, men who would sell out their own mothers for a carton of cigarettes or a little extra protection. Ethan couldn’t afford to let his guard down, not for a second. The stakes were too high.

Despite the tension that filled every waking moment,