[ WP ] In a world where every human being naturally has photographic memory , you are some of the few people who suffer from a genetic defect called `` memory loss ''

When the news of the plague hit we were living in New York - not the best place to find yourself when a contagious disease is overrunning the world. Of course we got out of the city, it took 2 days just to get out of the city - everyone had the same idea. We got as far as Michigan before Mary started showing the signs. 
 
 It started with a cough - I tried to convince her that it was just a cold or a flu - by the end of the day she was coughing up blood. The hospitals were full and no one would let us near their homes - I didn ’ t blame them. We spent our last three days together in a tent - eating beans and rice while trying to enjoy serene one last time. 
 
 Why did it need to be her lying there in agony bleeding out of every pore - her face contorting until it was unrecognizable. The screams for the last day were the hardest for me - I wanted to put her out of her misery so badly, but I was too selfish. 
 
 Why her and not the freak she married? 
 
 I never thought that I could find someone who would look past my memory. But Mary saw past my forgetfulness. She helped teach me after they kicked me out of school - she helped me get a job when no one would hire me. When I met her I finally had a break from the constant jokes, stares and laughter. 
 
 I always thought the worst moment of my life would be the day I was kicked out of school after being mercilessly bullied, but no, I couldn ’ t even compare that day to this. 
 
 I didn ’ t leave the grave site for a month - not until my food supplies ran out. I sat by that grave for two days with nothing to eat crying before I dragged myself into town. Things were different. 
 
 The roads were completely empty - most stores closed. I finally found an open store and walked inside. The tv simply showed a screen which read “ Broadcast Interrupted ”. The man behind the counter didn ’ t even look up as I walked into the store. I had to knock on the counter in front of him before he looked up. 
 
 “ Could you turn the news on. ” 
 
 “ The TV is down they aren ’ t broadcasting anything - not for the last week. ” 
 
 “ What, the radio then? ” 
 
 “ Down as well. Most people haven ’ t had the will to go on. I was lucky enough to be living alone - all my family had already passed away. Most people weren ’ t so lucky. ” 
 
 “ What do you mean? ” 
 
 He looked me in the eye. “ People have a hard time going about their day when the memory of their loved one ’ s bleeding out of every orifice and screaming for days runs constantly through their mind. Over 70 % of people have died based on the last reports. Most of the other 30 % have gone completely mental. They can ’ t feed themselves, bath themselves - they have lost the will to go on. Tormented by the fucking memories that wo n't stop. ” 
 
 I hadn ’ t thought about it before. Watching Mary die in my arms was the worst thing to happen - it shook me to the core. But my memories were fuzzy - more ideas and feelings of what happened rather than a frame by frame movie. 
 
 Everyone else wasn ’ t so lucky. Everyone else might finally need my help.
