Who or what event is portrayed in this story?
Thirteen year old Lin stood atop the twenty-four storey building and looked down. They didn’t look like humans from up there, more like ants. Little bugs that went about their work in the real world.
The real world. Now, that was a concept he didn’t quite understand anymore. He spent more time as a warrior fighting battles in demon-filled lands, foregoing meals and hygiene, than he did studying and sleeping.
Two of his friends had already succumb to the limitations of the real world. And how he missed them. He wondered if they played games in heaven. He wondered if they were at peace. Were they conquerers?
He didn’t have to wonder long, for he would see them soon.
“Save a place for me,” he cried out to the heavens and jumped.
Who or what event is portrayed in this story?
The previous Death By … story is based on:
Georgi Ivanov Markov died as a result of an incident on a London street when a micro-engineered pellet containing ricin was fired into his leg via an umbrella wielded by someone associated with the Bulgarian secret police.
Sources:

I don't have the answer but Dang, What a Great excerpt.
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And just a hint: Not all names used in the stories will be the right name. Sometimes if I use the right name, it'll be too easy. I can't make it that easy, can I?
That one is sad.
ReplyDeleteA great story, Clarissa. It sent shivers down my spine.
ReplyDeletesad, but there were a number of cases in Asia, when young people died from playing games for days :(
ReplyDeleteWhat a sad way to go.
ReplyDeleteI think you had several choices with the video game death. Too bad all are sad.
ReplyDeleteGreat writing Clarissa.
Huh. What a shame.
ReplyDeleteHeather
Frightening. I have a thirteen year old video game addict.
ReplyDeleteOooh a boy kills himself after watching too many video games? Was this a suicide pact? Very sad! Take care
ReplyDeletex
Not sure about this one. I play The Sims and it sounds like something one of them would do though.
ReplyDeleteClarissa - It is creepy how many people are so devoted to the gaming world that it means more to them than real life does. An excellent way to show that.
ReplyDeleteScary to think that this could happen...but I bet it happens (or similar issues) more often than we think.
ReplyDeleteSo sad.
ReplyDeleteI don't know. But it reads like a great novel excerpt.
ReplyDeleteSee, I told my son when he was still mine, those video games are gonna kill you. :)
ReplyDeleteT
Horrible to see our young people so mired in the game playing world they cannot face reality. I worry about my own teenager sometimes.
ReplyDelete..........dhole
Hi Clarissa .. I love reading these - usually after the event, so I get the answer in the next post .. I knew about the Ricin one .. the rest - no.
ReplyDeleteWhatever the guy had to the world - he didn't deserve all that polio and being killed by a bed - sounds very Heath Robinson to me ...
I suppose you get totally hooked .. but to throw yourself of a building is a bit much ..
Cheers Hilary
Aww! Such a sad story.
ReplyDeleteI'm really curious to find out the answer to this one.
ReplyDelete*whining* But Clarissa *still whining* this is so HARD........
ReplyDeleteThat is such a sad story.
ReplyDeleteThis is a sad one. I'm afraid I don;t know it.
ReplyDeleteJ.C. Martin
A to Z Blogger
I don't know the story, but it's sad when people spend so much time on video games that it becomes their reality. Another nicely told story, Clarissa:)
ReplyDeleteI know there were some deaths in China from gamers who spend far too much time obsessed with the games they played eg games like World of Warcraft or Starcraft. It's because the kids play them competitively in tournaments, but then theres also the game farms where they get paid to collect resources in the games too. I think the government may have place time limits on the games because of it.
ReplyDeleteSadly, this is becoming more and more common. So many kids are getting lost in their fantasy worlds and they forget (or never learn) to cope with the real one. We've got to change this cycle!
ReplyDeleteThis is a depressing one Clarissa. There is a fine line between reality and fiction. I was away yesterday and just caught up on the Umbrella. A well-used plot line in those old spy stories.
ReplyDeleteDenise
This is the only thing I could come up with...Tianjin, China, 2006- A thirteen-year-old boy played Warcraft, the incredibly popular online multiplayer fantasy game, for 36 hours and then jumped from a building to his death in order "to join the heroes of the game" as indicated by his suicide note.
ReplyDeleteHard one! And such a sad story.
I hadn't heard of this. What a tragic event.
ReplyDeleteSad and very appropriate to the to this era of obsessive video gamer shut-ins...
ReplyDeleteHi! I'm popping over from Alex's! Had to check you out. Totally not disappointed. Excited about your book! That was a great excerpt!
ReplyDeleteI also just headed over from Alex's! This is such a brilliant theme for A to Z, and I wish I got here sooner! Congrats on your new book! Julie
ReplyDeleteGreat Excerpt!! I'm afraid I have no idea. *bows head*
ReplyDelete