A cup of coffee seemed like it would do. The vacuum-sealed doors slid shut behind him, the airtight seal let out a thunk. A coffeepot filled with a quarter-inch of caffeinated dredge was placed precariously on a counter's edge. Aldous lifted it to his nose and inhaled the stale scent. He wrinkled his face and sent the contents down the drain.

Aldous leaned against the counter and watched the slow brewing of a medium roast blend. The hypnotic drizzle into the coffee pot tugged at his tired state. Small droplets of brown liquid splattered up against the glass wall. He adjusted his glasses and stifled a yawn. Aldous wondered why nobody had told him that sleep was fleeting in old age.

It was nothing that a cup of hot coffee couldn't cure, however. The gadget beeped and a light flashed green. Aldous grinned as he felt the heat reflect off of his cold hands. Steam poured from the spout in aromatic tendrils. He filled his mug to the brim and brought the near-boiling liquid to his lips. There was nothing like a good scalding to keep one sharp.

A young man in his early twenties walked up to the counter. His dirty blonde hair was disheveled and unkempt. He reminded Aldous of his surfing days down in San Diego as a youth.

"Pardon me, sir."

Aldous stepped aside and let the man retrieve a mug from the cabinet. "Sorry, are you new? I don't think I've met you yet."

"Dave," he extended his hand for a shake. "I started two days ago. I'm just an intern."

Aldous gripped his smooth wrinkle free hand with his own, weathered and knobby appendage. "Aldous. Interns are the backbone of the scientific endeavor! Who knows where we would be as a species without them?"

"Well, luckily, we don't have to find out."

Aldous dropped two sugar cubes into the dark murk and reached for the creamer. Dave scooted the bowl of single servings across the counter towards him.

"Thank you," Aldous said.

"Don't mention it. Hey, you wouldn't happen to be Dr. Turner, would you?"

"Guilty."

Dave tipped the coffee-pot and filled his mug. "Your work with nerve regeneration back in 2018 has been crucial in our project. It's beautiful science, elegant even."

Aldous waved away the praise. "Tell that to the salamander, he did the real work. All I did was poke, prod, and scribble down notes."

The corner of Dave's lip curved up into a smile. "Well, be that as it may, Dr. Okinoya would have no idea what she was doing if it weren't for your foundation." Dave paused and bit his lip. "Don't tell her that, though."

Aldous let out a nervous laugh. "I'm flattered, but Dr. Okinoya has her masters in mammalian biology. I'm sure she can carry her own. What project is it that you are you working on?"

"We're trying to cure phantom limb syndrome. We've made some progress but we are still pretty far from our goal."

Aldous nodded and grunted as he sipped from his mug. "That's the job; long, complex, and built on the discoveries made before you. It sounds like a worthwhile endeavor."

A look of pride lit up the intern's face. "It is, sir. It's very rewarding. If you will excuse me, I'd better get back to my files."

Aldous slurped some coffee into his parched mouth. "Of course. Break a leg, kid!"

Dave glanced back and tipped his mug in cheers. "I wi-"

Aldous' eyes went wide as he watched the man lose his footing. As if he had slipped on a banana peel, Dave's feet were kicked out from under him. A stream of steaming coffee flew from the cup and doused his white coat. His tailbone smacked against the tile floor and echoed across the room.

"Ungh!" Dave cried. "My leg! Someone get me a chair!"

Aldous slammed his mug down on the counter and sent a small tsunami of coffee over the rim. He rushed to the young man's side. A six-inch gash had splayed its way across his shin. Blood seeped down his pant leg and dripped onto the gray and white tile.

"Jesus Christ, how did that happen? Get up and I'll get a real doctor to take a look at it."

Dave moved his injured leg and winced. "It hurts to move, I think it's broken."

Aldous gawked, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water. "Alright, I'll get you a chair."

"This looks like it might need stitches."

Standing to his feet, Aldous felt an electric pulse across his body before it settled in his fingertips. He pushed through the swinging doors and headed through to the busy office. He picked up the telephone from his desk and hit an extension number.

"Yes, this is Aldous Turner in lab 8b. There's been an accident. We need a doctor."

Dave was rushed to the first aid station. Within a matter of minutes, an ambulance had pulled up to the building and an EMT was disinfecting the wound. Dave grimaced as a local anesthetic was injected into the surrounding tissue. Finally, he was wheeled away on a gurney to the emergency vehicle.

The drama having been concluded, Aldous glanced at his watch. 3:57-pm, three minutes till clock out. He daydreamed about a bourbon over crushed ice as he made his way back to the office. A thick manilla envelope with Ivan's name stamped to the front rested on top of his keyboard. It hadn't been three hours since the procedure, what was there to report?

Aldous shook his head and adjusted his glasses. The computer let out a slow whine before it died completely as he pressed it into temporary extinction. Two feet away from the door. He hesitated and glanced back at the envelope. Muttering an obscenity, he stormed over and stuffed the papers into his bag and headed out the door.

His beige Toyota Corolla was waiting for him in the parking lot. Yellow letters that spelled 'Dr. Turner' were painted onto the pavement, faded by rain and the occasional ray of sunlight. He unlocked his door and collapsed behind the steering wheel. Nervous energy bounced around his body and bound his back in knots. He shifted in his seat and buckled up. His eyes drifted to the rearview mirror several more times than was necessary before he turned the key.

A cold sweat had taken up residence in the small of his back. He used a shaky hand to turn right out of the parking lot. It had been a strange day, too strange for Aldous' liking. Synchronicities were a rare occurrence. In fact, Aldous couldn't recall any other one in the past few months. Yet, there had been two that day alone! And, not just any synchronicities but strong ones. Both he and Dr. Glass had tried to give Ivan their respective fathers' namesake, even though neither had mentioned either to each other previously. Dave the intern had broken his leg mere moments after he had uttered the euphemism.

Could it be anything other than mere happenstance? The radio was silent but a question was on blast inside of Aldous Turner's mind, cutting out the bustle of the busy street. The question was this: was it coincidence, or did it coincide?

He was so caught up in his thoughts that he was almost hit by a merging Escalade. A pink metallic finish adorned the SUV. The driver laid on their horn, alerting Aldous to the immediate threat. He swerved into the left lane. The screech of rubber skidding on asphalt echoed up around the car through the cracked windows. It sounded like a starving banshee amid its death throes.

Aldous slowed and let the Escalade settle in front of him. A silhouette in the driver's seat displayed their middle finger to the elderly gentleman. Aldous felt a little guilty at his careless driving, but the pink vehicle had triggered a memory. This afternoon during his lunch he had thought about a Mary Kay Escalade. True, they weren't an ultra-rare vehicle but with the other incidents having transpired could he dismiss this slight abnormality?

He poked the radio to life and listened to the oldies. Warm tones mixed with the plucking of an acoustic guitar. "Oh, Helena show me the way..."

The music calmed his racing heart. Slow breath in through the nose and out through his mouth steadied his trembling hands. He cursed under his breath as his turn shot past him.

Oh, well, it was no bother. He would just have to turn on... Aldous choked on air. He spun the wheel, staring at the green street sign. Helena St. Was displayed in reflective white letters.

"Oh, Helena you're what I crave... Oh, Helena please be brave. 'Cause, you've got me feeling a certain way..."

The tremble was back, accompanied by droplets of perspiration rolling down his cheek. Aldous plucked life from the radio with the press of a button. Silence would be an aid to normalcy.