On stormy New Years Eve in 1933 four prisoners in Alcatraz start their escape plan that was plotted by Albert Arlington. Their plan was to escape the island with a improvised aircraft. No such plane had ever been build in result the groups escape plan ended failing. Because of this the other prisoners Finn O'Leary, Salvatore DeLuca and Billy Handsome were left with rancor towards Arlington and decided to revenge.
Armed with prison shanks they lured Albert to the roof. And on the stormy New Years Eve Albert was murdered on the cold prison roof. The three collaborates on the murder were sentenced to death by electric chairs. On morning of January 19th 1934 the execution order was carried out ending the lives of these prisoners.
On the map itself we are in a loop recreating the events of that New Years Eve. A powerful thing controlling the zombies keeps resetting that same day until Arlington survives. For reasons yet unknown its crucial for this monster that Albert "Weasel" Arlington doesn't die in their escape plan. When Arlington finally succeeds in his plan and kills the others the CYCLE is broken.