Playing With Fire

By Malcolm Sinclair

The children were playing Minecraft, constructing a virtual world. They created a house and two characters.

The game was fun, but the girl wanted to go out shopping. After building a fire in their imaginary abode, she ran to her room to crimp her hair. As she finished styling, a scream startled her. She dropped her red-hot straighteners on the wooden floor.

The boy was distraught. Their onscreen dwelling was ablaze and his character was burning. She extinguished the flames, then departed.

Continuing to play, home alone, he screamed again. Smoke surrounded him. This time, no one put the fire out.