"I think it's good that the final round is today."
The big hall was alive again, louder than before. The announcement had hit everyone like a surprise wave.
No one had expected the final round to happen today. People thought there would be days, maybe weeks, to prepare. But Dr. Ramirez had just dropped the bomb: fifteen minutes. The place exploded with noise.
Groups clustered everywhere. Some doctors were hugging, jumping, shouting with joy. Others stood frozen, mouths open, trying to process it.
"Did she just say today?" one resident asked, eyes wide.
"Yeah, right now!" her friend shot back, grinning like it was the best news ever.
"Fifteen minutes? Are you serious?" another voice chimed in from across the group.
"I didn't even eat lunch properly!" someone else laughed, clutching their stomach dramatically.
The laughter spread like wildfire, mixed with those nervous giggles that come when things get real. Someone yelled across the room, "Jamal, you ready to lose again?"
