My eyes are glued shut . I drag my feet across the cold tiles to the kitchen. Need coffee now. Total survival mode. My hands reach for the glass hopper on the grinder. It is empty. Not even a single bean left to save me . This cant be happening. I lean my forehead against the counter. I open the pantry with reckless desperation. I scan the shelves for a hidden bag of dark roast. Just dust and empty boxes. The thought of waiting for a delivery app hits me like a lead weight. Sleepy eyes refuse to focus. I am trapped in the morning abyss. I scramble through the back corner of the cupboard. Something brushes my fingers. A dusty packet of off-brand instant sludge. It is the only thing here. It is a total disaster. I tear the top off . The smell is like burnt dirt. There is no other path forward. I reach for the kettle. It hisses as I fill it . I pour the hot water over the gray dust . It fizzes in the mug like a science experiment gone wrong. I stare at the dark liquid. It is not gourmet. It is not even good. But I lift the mug anyway. I take a long, burning sip. It tastes like failure masquerading as a wake-up call. I survive to face the day, even if my soul feels like it just died a small death .
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