Story Unlikely, August 2026

“The Forgetting Room” by Hallow Blackwell

Reviewed by Wendy Vidlak

“The Forgetting Room” by Hallow Blackwell plays with the concept of memory. Caine, the protagonist, walks the city in distress when he finds a room in a small, quiet opening in an alley. He walks through to find a man without a face. He makes a bargain with the man that he could lose the memory causing him pain at the cost of a few others the faceless man chooses. Grieving the loss of a child, he takes the deal and finds some relief.

Unfortunately, it does not cure the sadness, and he goes back to remove other memories. With each painful memory removed, the faceless man takes other important and pleasant memories. Until all are gone. Then comes the philosophical twist at the end. Is it worth it to rid yourself of hurtful memories if good ones disappear as well, and will he choose to get the memories back even if he has to relive the grief? An interesting story playing with the role of memory in a person’s life. If you enjoy watching psychological experiments, this is a story for you.