Tomorrow is Another Year by Scott Tierney

Author:Scott Tierney
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science fiction, fantasy, time-travel, giant, London, future, dystopia, space, war, robots, aliens, religion
ISBN: 9781785387470
Publisher: Andrews UK Limited 2017
Published: 2017-08-15T00:00:00+00:00

28

“Yes, yes, exceedingly high quality...” nodded the beaky, bespectacled old man as he turned the black disc over, moving his hands around its circumference as if caressing an opaque crystal ball. “Remarkable considering the age. They’ve clearly been taken care of.

“A wise decision to part with them, though.”

Or before they’re confiscated...

“And the Cross will appreciate the donation.”

“How much can you give me?” Michael enquired. “For all of it, I mean.”

With Viva Hate safely back in its sleeve, the old man tucked his thumbs into the pockets of his white cardigan, and surveyed the pile of artefacts on his counter. “Well...” he considered in a haughty droll. “For each of the vinyls I am decreed to offer you five thousand credits - five-fifty for the one signed by this Morrissey fellow. In the case of the CDs however, I’m afraid there isn’t much call for them these days - what with all the media itself outlawed and secured on the State’s drives - so I can only take them at cost value, maybe a credit each.”

Sounds familiar, Michael mused, thinking back to a time of eStocks and Music Magpie.

“And it’s the same for all the other formats you have here.” the woolly man pronounced, dealing through the stacks of films, CDs and games as if they were bad hands. “In working order, these rather primitive games could well have been worth something, as may have the console; but sadly, time has not been kind to their components. These circuit boards have degraded beyond repair.” the man demonstrated, scratching his fingernail against the flaking innards of Secret of Evermore. “A shame, but such is life.”

Some of those Nintendo games are nearly 250 years old! Michael cursed to himself - surely they had to be worth something? ‘Bring Along Your Antiques for Valuation!’ the advert - although it was more of a proclamation - on Victory Circus had stated; ‘Anything and Everything Considered! Generous rices Guaranteed! Come to Us Before We Come to You!’ So much for his plan of cashing in...

The woman at the next counter seemed equally as disenfranchised, her great-grandfather’s medals valued at half of what she expected - or, as her exasperations implied, sorely needed. “But he fought on Brighton beach!” she declared - the price remained the same.

In Michael’s case it was not so much the money that irked him - his salary easily covered his expenditure - but more so the notion that all of these personal belongings he’d acquired over the years were now nothing more than relics to be discarded, demanded, then priced for a pittance in a monochrome and impersonal state controlled Conversion Store such as this. If it hadn’t been his legal obligation to hand them over they would still be lining his walls. Although, some of the more personal items in his collection, prohibited or not, were still nestled safely in his apartment - if they wanted to take them when he was away, so be it; but he would not hand them over like this.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.