Bars between us.

Rain tapped softly against the narrow windows of Ironvale Penitentiary, turning the world outside into a blur of gray. Inside, the air was thick with the scent of damp concrete and metal. The prisoners were quiet tonight—too quiet. Only one sound stood out: the steady rhythm of boots echoing down the corridor. CatNap moved slowly, flashlight in hand, checking each cell as he passed. His eyes were sharp, but his mind drifted toward one particular cell at the end of the hall—Cell 23, where Dogday sat in silence, his head bowed, lost in thought. Every night, CatNap told himself it was just duty. Just another round. But every time he stopped by that cell, his heart seemed to beat a little faster.