It was 2:11 AM. The coffee in his mug had long since turned into a sludge of caffeine and cold sediment.

Here’s a short, intriguing story built around your prompt — exactly 115 words (excluding the title), with a touch of mystery and a sci-fi twist.

: If you are looking for a specific quality or length, add "15 min" to your search to find the shortened/highlight version mentioned in your string.