A Question in the Dark: The Prisoner's Truth

A towering inmate, built like a wrestler, stood surrounded by his hardened companions.

His deep, rumbling voice broke the uneasy silence—

"What’s your crime?"

Akshay fell silent, lost in thought. After a moment, he composed himself and said,

"Does it even matter? No matter what, I’m still just another prisoner."

The inmate let out a loud, mocking laugh. "Ah, I see. This is your first time here, isn’t it?"

Then, leaning in slightly, he smirked. "But maybe you don’t know… even prisoners have a hierarchy here."

"Some are small-time crooks, some are vicious… and some are monsters."

He crossed his arms. "So, tell me… which category do you belong to?"

Akshay gave a sad smile, one that carried more pain than amusement.

"If that’s how it works here… I’d like to know too—what kind of sinner I am."

He stepped closer to the inmate, his posture relaxed but his voice unwavering.

"Let’s do one thing. I’ll tell you my story. You decide where I belong."

The inmate raised an eyebrow, intrigued. A moment of silence passed before he chuckled.

"Interesting… You’ve got two minutes. Make it worth my time. And remember…" He narrowed his eyes. "I have a short temper."

---

"Three Months Ago..."

"I had just started a new job in this city."

Everything felt fresh—new places, new people. It was exciting. But what made the city special for me… was her.

Our apartments were close. For weeks, I tried to start a conversation, but I never found the courage.

Then one night, I heard loud crashing noises from her apartment.

Concerned—and maybe looking for an excuse to talk to her—I rang her doorbell.

She opened the door just a little. Her face looked tense, exhausted.

"I live next door," I said, trying to sound casual. "I heard noises… just wanted to check if everything’s okay?"

She hesitated, then forced a small smile. "Everything’s fine. Don’t worry."

And with that, she shut the door.

I stood there for a moment, wondering if I was overthinking. Then, shaking my head, I walked back to my apartment.

The next morning, my doorbell rang.

She was standing there.

"I’m sorry about last night," she said softly. "I was just… dealing with something. I didn’t even thank you for checking in."

I smiled.

"It’s fine. Just wanted to make sure you were okay."

She looked at me, a strange warmth in her eyes. "People like you are rare these days."

That moment, I felt something shift.

From that day on, we started talking more. Weeks passed, and we grew closer.

I was happy.

Then, one night, I heard those same crashing noises again.

At first, I ignored them. But something felt off.

I went to her apartment and rang the doorbell.

This time, she opened the door fully.

And what I saw inside…

A man lay on the floor, blood trickling from his head. He was barely conscious.

She was trembling. "I-I didn’t mean to… It was an accident," she whispered, tears streaming down her face.

I was frozen. My mind was racing.

"Stay here!" she said. "I’ll get help. I called an ambulance."

And she ran out.

I locked the door behind her and waited.

Five minutes… ten minutes… twenty minutes passed.

Then, the doorbell rang.

"Ambulance," a voice called out.

Relieved, I opened the door—

And the next thing I knew, cold metal clicked around my wrists.

Handcuffs.

I looked around. A crowd had gathered.

She was nowhere to be seen.

I searched for her in the sea of faces.

But she had disappeared.

---

A heavy silence settled in the prison cell.

Akshay’s voice wavered as he looked at the inmate.

"So, tell me… what category do I belong to?"

A tear escaped his eye, but he didn’t bother wiping it away.

The inmate clenched his jaw, his rough exterior faltering. He let out a slow breath before speaking—his voice quieter this time.

"You don’t belong in any category."

He looked away for a moment, then back at Akshay.

"Your punishment wasn’t the prison sentence." He paused.

"It was the moment those handcuffs locked around your wrists."

Another pause.

"And as for surviving in here…" A small smirk appeared on the inmate’s face.

"Welcome to hell, brother. You won’t find a better place than this."