The Memory Exchange

"The way the Memory Warehouse worked was simple enough-you could sell your memories to the warehouse and the happier they were, the more money they gave you. There was a catch, however: If you sold your memories, you forgot about them. Then, if fate was kinder to you in the future, you could go and buy those memories back for the same amount of money they were sold for. It was almost like a loan, with your memories being the collateral."

"Behind the counter stood an enigmatic figure known as the Memory Merchant. The Merchant wore a mask that displayed a pixel screen face, its expressions changing as the Merchant spoke. Despite being a square of pixels, Jonathan felt the mask's eyes bore into him, as if scrutinizing his very soul. This was a place where the past could be bought, but at what cost?"

Jonathan was a struggling artist with just enough money to buy a vivid childhood memory to inspire his work. The Memory Warehouse purchased happier memories for higher prices, with the condition that sold memories are forgotten by the seller and can be repurchased later for the same amount. Jonathan could remember only the last few years, suggesting long-term hardship. The one-story, neon-flanked shop glowed eerily and was cramped and dimly lit. The Memory Merchant wore a mask with a pixel screen face whose expressions changed, and the mask's eyes felt penetrating. Jonathan felt anxious but tempted to relive a cherished youth memory as the Merchant accepted his payment and opened a drawer.

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