Chapter 4 — Residency Confessions

Mariah Harper

The resident lounge was an unassuming bunker in the heart of Warner Central Hospital. With its low ceiling, dim lighting, and mismatched furniture that seemed to groan under the weight of countless exhausted residents, it felt more like a forgotten relic than a sanctuary. The hissing coffee machine in the corner valiantly churned out subpar caffeine, its faint aroma battling the stale smell of old takeout. Mariah sank into the well-worn couch with a sharp sigh, her tablet balanced precariously on one knee.