The café plunged into sudden darkness. One moment, the machines whirred and lights glowed bright; the next, the entire branch seemed swallowed whole. Gasps rippled through the customers. A spoon clattered against a ceramic cup. Someone’s phone flashlight flicked on, the beam jittering across startled faces.

Only the emergency lights remained—a faint red glow above the exits, just enough to make everyone look like ghosts in a half-forgotten photograph. The smell of scorched coffee grounds ...