Chapter 8

It was a typical Wednesday. Ryan was brushing his teeth and preparing for bed when he felt a sudden urge for coffee. He had work the next day, he was already in his pyjamas, and it was a chilly autumn night outside. However, the desire for coffee overrode all other needs. This was strange, as Ryan did not consider himself a coffee enthusiast.

Perhaps it was melancholy, he thought. Melancholy and that motivational video that suggested doing something atypical, stepping out of your comfort zone, not to stand still but to move towards your goal.

Ryan was forty years old. He lived by a strict schedule his military father instilled in him in childhood. His life was mundane and boring. No friends, no wife.

Work, internet, sleep, work. And so on to infinity for more than ten years. He had no hobbies, nothing that brought him joy. His brain had forgotten about emotions. And now this desire to drink coffee - interesting.

Ryan put on a grey shirt, a grey jacket, grey pants, and a black belt. Then he put his feet into grey sneakers, threw a dark grey down jacket on himself and went out to look for a café.

The map showed that the nearest open café was a few blocks from his house. This suited Ryan, so he wrapped himself in his down jacket and went where his smartphone pointed.

The sign read "Cup of Coffee 24/7". Next to the name was a picture of an owl that seemed to have had too much coffee and looked crooked. This did not deter Ryan, and he went inside.Surprisingly, about a dozen people were there, so he had to look around to find a table. As Ryan was walking to it, the waitress shouted that orders were taken at the counter. Ryan replied that he would have coffee and sat down at a table by the window.

The street outside the window seemed quiet and calm. The few people who passed by were immersed in their thoughts. Their gazes didn't linger on the "Cup of Coffee 24/7".

The waitress put the coffee on the table and went behind the counter. Ryan took the cup and took a sip. The coffee had a sour-bitter taste with a light chocolate aftertaste. Another sip, and Ryan tasted hints of caramel in it. He drank more and more until the cup was empty.

Strangely, his desire did not pass. Ryan ordered two more cups, and while they were being prepared, he tried to understand why he had come here. It was as if the coffee was a cunning excuse to get him out of the house that night. But the real reason was hidden.

The waitress placed two cups before Ryan and went to the kitchen. Ryan took a sip and noticed a strange card under the second cup. He picked it up to examine it. The card depicted a wheel, on which sat a blue sphinx. Golden mythical creatures sat in the corners of the card, and the Roman numeral ten stood at the top in the centre.

Ryan snorted, put the card in his shirt pocket, and continued to wait, not understanding what for.