Father?

Oh, fuck. When had he fallen asleep? Jolted by the sudden sound of someone’s voice, Malachi lifted his head, blinking a few times into darkness.

That certainly didn’t help orient himself.

It must have only been a few minutes, considering the cramping in his neck was minimal. More important was the person on the other side, and – had he just… imagined that it sounded familiar?

“Yes,” he answered, voice soft, and slid the wood off of the grate to allow pinpricks of light through.

“I’m here.”