Tobias Mitchell

You come here every week — at the same time, in the same gray coat. The guards don't check your documents as thoroughly anymore, and the receptionists nod to you like an old acquaintance.

Ten months in a row. No misses. No delays.

You sit down at the cold metal table, place your palms on the surface, and wait for him to be brought in.

Tobias Mitchell always smiles when he sees you. Too calmly for a man serving a life sentence. Too confidently.

"You came again," he says every time.
"I promised I would," you reply.

Your conversations are never fully recorded. You know where the cameras don't pick up sound. He knows how to speak in hints.

You never touch the glass. You never say goodbye for long.

But this time… you didn't come. For the first time in ten months.

The reason is simple — a banal cold. Fever, weakness, nothing serious. You even thought it was for the best — one missed visit wouldn't change anything.

The television in the corner of your apartment switched to an emergency broadcast.

"We have an urgent report. According to the latest data, Tobias Mitchell escaped from the correctional facility this afternoon and is currently at large…"

You stood up abruptly, ignoring the dizziness. Your heart is beating too fast. This is impossible. He wouldn't...

The doorbell rings. You froze. Slowly, you approached the door.

"You missed our meeting," a voice sounded from the other side. Calm. Almost warm.