Free Interfictions 2 by Delia Sherman

how could he be sure which pathways in the brain were associated with a specific memory? He might wipe out other important aspects of a person's personality.
    In theory, the chemical cocktail and the molecular strategy worked. But how could you look at a brain and say what specific structure held what specific traumatic memory?
    He did not mention the flaw to his superiors. He just presented the fact that it seemed possible, in theory. They were sold on the idea that memory suppression would lead to memory enhancement. They reasoned that if you could figure out how to turn it off, you could figure out how to turn it on. They continued to fund his lab.
    And while Dunbar failed, Heidi had some small success.
    One type of intelligence is measured by the ability to recall details. And Heidi had found a way to make everyone remember the details.
    She had three different memory enhancers in Phase IV of the trials.
    But every time Heidi had a success, she reminded Dunbar of the thing he was trying to forget, and he did not like that.
    He began to resent her.
    Worse, he did not like that she had taken the drug she created herself.
    That she'd use perfume to cover up the fact she didn't bathe when she was running an experiment.
    That she looked gaunt and worn down.
    That she was essential to his science and that he could not function without her.
    That she deserved equal partnership in their papers.
    Heidi became an emotional wreck. It was not a pretty sight.
    Heidi could not forget anything, no matter how big or small.
    Betrayal. Jealousy. Love. Happiness. Regret. Hope. Frustration. Euphoria. Empathy. Disappointment. Disgust. Interest. Pity. These feelings and more were her constant companions.
    Heidi hadn't considered the fact that remembering everything meant that she would remember every single emotion associated with every memory, as well.
    Heidi began to despair. But the pharmaceutical companies were very excited. The board members, all elderly, all facing their own degrading memories, were waiting for the drug to be approved.
    But before that could happen, the bioethics community had a meeting about the goings on at Memory, Inc.
    "Memory suppression has many good uses,” Dunbar said in front of the bioethics committee. “Think of the soldier who is at war and sees unspeakable things. When they come back, they have posttraumatic syndrome or PTSD. If we could effectively suppress the memory that is causing the trauma, the individual could regain a more normal life."
    The bioethics committee had their own opinions.
    "The trouble with memory suppression or memory enhancement is the fact that the misuse of such knowledge can have devastating effects on the individual. If a person were to have certain memories suppressed, never to be retrieved, that would be akin to brainwashing. This leaves the door open for mass behavioral modification."
    The drug was not approved.
    Memory, Inc., folded up shop but appealed the ruling. Eventually, they would have their memory enhancement drug.
    * * * *
    After his failure at Memory, Inc., Dunbar went back to teaching at McGill.
    He was amazed by the passage of time. By how a place could have so many memories pressed over it. A simple walk down a certain street could bring to mind moments in his life at twenty-two, thirty-six, forty-five, or sixty walking down that same street. The time he found that nice table in the trash. The time he picked up a bottle to recycle. The time he got a parking ticket. The time he slipped on the ice.
    And on top of those memories, Dunbar knew with certainty that every single time he walked down St. Laurent street, the memory that he wanted to forget got stronger. Even if he walked one street over, sometimes the wind would still blow the smell of the smoked meat from Shwartz's, and like anyone would tell you, smell is one of the biggest triggers of memories that there is.
    Two steps.
    Four steps.
    Six steps.
    And then the smell would be left behind him, but the