Selling Memories
In a time when memories can be bought and sold, can love survive?
--
- 2099 -
After the Great Discovery in 2080, advances in science progressed at an astonishing rate. Each year brought countless new discoveries in technology and biology.
One of the most significant and controversial discoveries was memory extraction. Scientists had found a way to remove memories from the brain and store them. Then implant them into the minds of other people.
Naturally, scientists promoted the benefits of ME (memory extraction.) ME could be used to help trauma victims, removing horrible memories. It could also be used in court cases to recover incriminating memories from the accused. Although, lawyers argued that memories could be untrustworthy.
Scientists also claimed that entire lives worth of memories could be stored for posterity. “Imagine having Einstein’s or Leonardo da Vinci’s memories stored,” they said. It didn’t really matter. Once the ME genie was out of the bottle, it was impossible to put it back.
As these things usually progress, ME became a source of income for many. College graduates discovered they could sell most of their school knowledge once they got jobs, as they needed precious little of it in the work world.
Elderly people sold memories to supplement their government income. Their early memories were very popular with young people wanting to experience the past. Although the process often left the elderly with few memories by the time they died.
Businesses sprung up selling memories as entertainment. People around the world took part in every conceivable activity with the intention of selling the memories. Often to purchase other memories.
Playton woke up on December 31th and looked at his media panel. The media was hyping the turn of the century — the year 2100. But all Playton could think about was his wife, Mellisa, leaving him at the beginning of the year. The divorce was messy, as Playton didn’t want it. He still loved Melissa. Playton had been miserable ever since.
The following day, Playton went to Memory Adventures. A popular playground for the well-off where anyone with enough money could buy the memories of…
