Episode One
212 Words
Maya hated morning people. Which was unfortunate, because the guy who made her coffee at 6:12am every day was annoyingly cheerful.
“Two coffees, no sugar,” she’d mumble.
“One for you, one for the ghost?” he’d ask. Same joke, every morning.
On day 94, she snapped. “There is no ghost. The second one is for my boss. She’s terrible before caffeine.”
He grinned and slid the cups across. “Tell your boss I said good luck surviving you.”
On day 95, her boss quit. Maya showed up at 6:12am anyway. “One coffee. No sugar.”
The barista — David, according to his nametag — paused. “No ghost today?”
“No boss either. Turns out I only kept the job for the walk here.”
He didn’t charge her. She didn’t leave.
On day 200, she walked in at 6:12am. He already had two coffees waiting. No sugar.
“Ghost came back?” she asked.
“No,” he said. “Figured you might be tired of carrying both.”
She took one. He took the other. They drank them on the curb outside, watching Kampala wake up.
Turns out she didn’t hate morning people. She just hadn’t met one worth waking up for.
- Writer
