Room 13

In a bleak, wind‑scarred outpost that feels more like a stone‑capped town than a prison, Johnny Gray spends his days hauling a hand‑cart up a steep slope, watching the red‑bearded gate‑warder lock and unlock the massive doors. The cramped quarters—gloomy halls, a battered bakery, a grim church, and a yard of cracked asphalt—are populated by hardened lifers and weary warders who speak a rough, clipped dialect. Johnny’s companion, the wizened Lal Morgon, fills the long shifts with stories of past crimes and whispered conspiracies, offering a rare glimpse of humanity behind the barbed wire.

As the work crews build a new shed, the routine chatter turns to a tangled web of swindles, a horse called “Spider King,” and a notorious robbery that still haunts the inmates. Lal’s tales hint at hidden loyalties and a looming power struggle, while the warders keep a tight, mechanical grip on any dissent. For listeners, the opening of this gritty tale promises a vivid portrait of life behind the walls, where every brick laid may uncover another layer of secret intrigue.