Vaulted Memories

Chapter 1

"Today is a great day. It is going to be sunny with highs in the 70's today. Nothing to worry about folks, get outside and enjoy a fun and relaxing day in the sun--" 

"Yeah, life is pretty easy when you get to conveniently forget the earthquake that leveled the southern half of the state yesterday," Monica muttered to herself. 

2208. 

150 years after the sun scorched the northern part of Africa into non-existence. 80 years since Russia, Sweden and Finland froze over. 40 years since a mysterious virus wiped out half of the rest of the living population. 

With all those disasters it was of the upmost concern for leaders and scientists together to ensure that all issues were solved. So in order to lift the burden from the elite, they invented an escape. Memory vaulting was born about fifty years ago, offering the chance to erase anything bad or unpleasant to remember from those who could afford it. 

It was a booming business, the average person going into severe debt to forget some of the most traumatic or horrible things that had happened to them in their lives. Because everyone knows, sometimes it's easier to forget than to have to relive the past. 

Monica Torres has worked as a memory curator for five years, landing a once in a lifetime job straight out of high school thanks to her dad's connections. 

Monica's dad, Archie Torres, was the leading data developer for the memory vaulting program. A right hand man to President Damien Landry himself, helping to develop and better the program. Monica didn't have the skills to follow in her dad's footsteps, that becoming apparently clear while she was school and failed to pass pre-calculus three times. So instead, after her graduation, President Landry presented her with the job of liftetime. She was appointed as the lead national memory curator specialist. 

Monica, despite what her title may suggest, has nothing to do with the memory collection portion of the job. She never sees the patients directly, never gets to watch their memories, or do any of the fun part of the job. Monica is responsible for managing her department and taking care of sensitive memories. 

There was a certain security level clearance that she had to have, considering some of the topics that she was dealing with. Most of the time she would get memory briefs on her desk, detailing what the memory may contain, and it was up to her to deal with the memory at her own discretion. Which often meant filing it away under lock and key so that those memories would never come to light again. 

On the national level Monica was handling memories of top security advisors, some of the wealthiest celebrities in the country, and even the Presidents' memories himself. But the briefs were often lackluster, leaving much to the imagination in Monica's opinion. 

"I know you're talking shit to Rebecca again," Hunter said, walking up behind Monica and placing a chaste kiss on her cheek. 

"Does she have any memories left? I swear I've heard rumors she goes in every day and gets something erased. What are you left with after that? I doubt she even remembers what she had for breakfast this morning," Monica grumbled, turning to look at her boyfriend. 

"Rebecca is a lovely woman. The lights are on and no one's home, but she's a lovely woman," Hunter answered, moving to the fridge to grab the milk. 

"You coddle her too much. You just like her cause she secretly runs your fan page," Monica said. 

"I don't think it's a secret if the one she's running it about knows that she's doing it," Hunter said, pouring milk over his cereal. "Are we going in together today or you want to do that stupid show up one after the other thing again?"