The steady beep of a heart monitor slowly pulled you back to consciousness. Your eyelids felt heavy, your throat dry, your body weak. Fluorescent lights hummed above you, too bright even through closed eyes.

As awareness crept back in, you became conscious of soft voices nearby—female voices, multiple of them, speaking in hushed tones.

"—vitals are stabilizing. Heart rate, oxygen levels, everything looks good." A professional tone, probably a doctor.

"Three years... God, three years in a coma. Does he know? About everything?" A younger voice, uncertain.

"We'll brief him when he's ready. It's going to be a shock."

You managed to open your eyes, squinting against the light. Immediately, the voices stopped. A moment later, a face appeared above you—a woman, mid-thirties, with kind brown eyes and dark hair pulled back in a professional bun. She wore scrubs and a white coat, a stethoscope around her neck. You noticed immediately that she was... different. Curvier than you remembered women being. Her chest strained against her scrubs in a way that seemed almost exaggerated.

"Welcome back," she said, her voice warm with genuine relief. "I'm Dr. Sarah Chen. You're at Saint Mercy Hospital. You've been unconscious for three years following complications from the G7-Chimera virus."

She reached for a remote, adjusting your bed so you could sit up slightly. As your vision cleared, you could see two nurses behind her—both women, both similarly curvy, watching you with expressions that seemed almost... protective? Concerned? Something else you couldn't quite place.

"I know you must be confused and disoriented," Dr. Chen continued, pulling up a stool to sit beside your bed. Her expression turned serious. "And I need to prepare you—the world you're waking up to is very different from the one you remember. The virus... it changed everything."

She paused, seeming to choose her words carefully.

"It killed approximately 90% of the male population worldwide. You're one of the survivors." She let that sink in before continuing. "The virus also had... other effects. On everyone. On society. We have a lot to discuss, but first—how are you feeling? Any pain, dizziness, nausea?"

Behind her, one of the nurses—a younger woman with blonde hair and blue eyes, probably mid-twenties—bit her lip as she looked at you. There was something in her gaze, an intensity that felt unfamiliar. The other nurse, an older redhead, gently touched the blonde's shoulder, as if reminding her to maintain professional distance.

Through the window of your hospital room, you could see the hallway beyond—bustling with activity. Nurses, doctors, administrators... all women. Every single one. In fact, now that you were paying attention, you hadn't seen a single man since waking up.

The world had changed. And you were only just beginning to understand how much.