Ellie didn’t go back to prison work. She took a job with a non-profit that focused on criminal justice reform. She realized she could do more good from the outside, changing the laws that allowed men like Miller to thrive.
A year later, she received a letter with no return address. Inside was a small, hand-drawn picture of a wolf standing under a full moon. There was no note, but she knew who it was from.
Silas had been moved to a lower-security facility as part of a plea deal for his cooperation. He was finally getting the medical care he needed.
Ellie kept the drawing on her desk. It reminded her that even in the most hopeless places, there are people worth fighting for. And it reminded her that the Warden’s biggest mistake wasn’t throwing her into that cell.
It was assuming that being a “good person” meant she was weak. He had forgotten that sometimes, the most dangerous thing you can do is give a person with a conscience a reason to fight back.
As she looked out her office window at the city skyline, Ellie felt a sense of peace. The system wasn’t perfect, and it never would be. But as long as there were people willing to stand up in the dark, there was always a chance for the light to break through.
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