[ WP ] Armed with the ability to steal the happiest memories from anyone , you live the life of an addict , always needing another fix . Write your deathbed confession .

`` You can come in now,'' the nurse said quietly. 
 
 The woman followed her, fighting back tears, ushering her son past the rooms filled with sick, sick people, complex machines, grieving families and the smell of disinfectant. 
 
 The nurse turned her sympathetic, professional face to the woman, and indicated the room where her father lay. The old man's breathing noisy through the oxygen mask. When he saw his daughter, he reached up a shaking hand to remove it. She moved to stop him, but he waved her away. 
 
 `` I have to tell you something.'' 
 
 The woman, not trusting her voice to speak, nodded. 
 
 `` Janet, I need to confess something to you.'' 
 
 The boy turned a questioning face to his mother. `` Mum?'' 
 
 `` Ssh,'' she whispered. `` Let grandpa speak.'' 
 
 The old man's eyes were on his daughter's. His mouth was open, but he seemed to be hesitating. 
 
 `` Go on,'' she encouraged him. 
 
 `` I steal memories.'' 
 
 She nodded, but his words made the grief bloom on her face. 
 
 `` I steal people's memories. I first learned how to do it when you were eight, Janet. When Rover died, you were so heartbroken. You would n't eat.'' 
 
 The old man coughed, a long drawn-out racking cough. 
 
 `` You would n't eat. I wished and wished I could take away your hurt. And then I discovered I could.'' 
 
 The woman's eyes showed sadness and puzzlement. 
 
 `` You ca n't remember Rover.'' 
 
 She shook her head, tears welling up in her eyes. 
 
 `` You ca n't remember Rover, because I took the memory away. I took the memory away, Janet. And afterwards, you were happy again. Or, not so sad. Not as happy as Rover had made you, but not so sad as when he'd gone.'' 
 
 The sorrow contorted her face. If she tried to speak now, she would cry and cry and maybe never stop. 
 
 `` I did the same when Josh left you in high school. You do n't remember Josh either. I took the memory away. Janet. I'm so sorry. Do you forgive me?'' 
 
 The woman did n't know what to say. Did n't even know if she could speak. None of this made sense. She nodded her head. The old man continued. 
 
 `` I saw you leave for college, full of neither happiness nor sadness. I treasured your memories, and replayed them to myself. When your mother left, your happy memories were all I had. But i could n't bring myself to take any more from you. I started taking other people's, Janet. I stole memories from strangers in the street. Holidays, promotions, love, acceptance, friendships. I took as many as I wanted. I went on living not in my own present, but in the reminiscences of others.'' 
 
 The old man paused, and looked away. The woman looked at the man, the boy and the nurse at the woman. There was silence, except for the rattle of the man's breath, and the hum of the machines. Eventually, the man spoke again, not looking at his daughter. 
 
 `` That's why I drifted out of your life, Janet. I'm so sorry.'' 
 
 A long pause, then a broken whisper, `` It's... it's all right, dad...'' 
 
 `` I hope I made up for it,'' the old man said, quietly. 
 
 `` There's... nothing to make up for... no need...'' 
 
 He turned to her, and spoke again, still weak, but more strongly, `` I hope I made up for it. Let me tell you what I did, Janet.'' 
 
 ``... you... `` 
 
 `` The doctors told me I was dying, Janet. My mind was full of happy memories, and none of them were mine, and I was dying. So I found some people who needed the memories, and I gave them back.'' 
 
 She nodded, silently, listening. 
 
 `` I found a nursing home. Full of broken people. People with lost hopes, lost dreams, lost minds. And I gave them all the memories. All of them, Janet. Everything I'd taken from people, I gave back to people. Someone else has your Rover, now, Janet. Someone else has the memories of Josh, and all the other memories. I kept none for myself, Janet, none at all.'' 
 
 Exhausted, the man seemed to sink into his pillow. He closed his eyes. 
 
 `` I hope that makes up for it.'' 
 
 Again, the hospital silence. Eventually, the man's breathing became more regular. He seemed to have fallen asleep. The woman touched her son's shoulder, and turned to go, pausing only when the nurse gave her a tissue and a gentle hug. 
 
 As they rounded a corner towards the exit, the nurse heard the boy ask his mother, `` Mum, why did grandpa keep calling you Janet?'' 
 
 She looked at the sleeping old man, then entered to replace his oxygen mask. A second nurse entered, and started checking the machinery, making notes on a pad. 
 
 `` I heard the whole story,'' said the second, as they left the room, their tasks complete. 
 
 The first one nodded, sadly. `` Alzheimer's is such a terrible thing.'' 
 

