"When you have writer's block, change your vantage point." This was advice from your old mentor, an English professor from whom you took composition classes. Although he probably meant it metaphorically, you've decided that you're in a very literal mood. Enough with LA. It's time to see what San Francisco has to offer.
You're on your way to becoming a successful writer. What do you write? Well, so far it's been fantasy and horror mostly. You've gotten a decent number of short stories published here and there, and you recently sold your first novel to an independent publisher. It's pretty much the same way all the greats started: Stephen King, Clive Barker, Aaron Vanek... Things are really on their way up, except for one problem: you're not sure what to write next. You've found yourself just staring at your computer for hours, waiting for your fingers to start typing. Well, sometimes you type something, but it's all been trash. You've taken long walks (in well-lit areas; this is LA after all), searching for inspiration. You've frequented seedy nightclubs, browsed the occult section at Borders, even gone to Sea World, looking for a juicy story idea to grab you. There's just nothing left here. You've wrung Los Angeles dry. It's time to move on.
You'll always have fond memories of Los Angeles, though. LA was the setting of your first novel, Burial, which drew heavily on the burial rites and afterlife traditions of many Angeleno subcultures. The idea was to create a fusion of primordial mythology and a contemporary setting, and to try to underscore the fact that despite the modern-day trappings of reason and science, people are still fundamentally linked to the visceral feelings and practices of their ancestors.
So far, all of your friends have loved the book, and you're hoping that it will do as well once it hits the bookshelves. In fact, just the other day, an old high school friend of yours sent you a package. Apparently, Laura has been studying archeology, and she's on a dig in China at the moment. The package contained a few battered Chinese coins, along with a brief note: "The Chinese used to bury these coins with their dead to help pay for the journey Beyond. I thought you might like them. - Laura (P.S. Loved your book!)"
Well, the coins are interesting enough, and they do have that magical inspiring feel to them. More to the point, they arrived too late for you to pack them with the rest of your stuff, so you have to bring them on the train with you. Maybe you can write a story about cursed Chinese coins or something.
As the high-speed train glides out and starts the journey northward, you find yourself lost in thought.
Wait!
Was that Aaron Vanek who just walked by? He's one of the biggest horror writers out there right now. Oh, you've heard the rumors that the creative well ran dry after his wife, Luka, passed away from cancer, but who wouldn't take some time off after a tragedy like that? He wrote creepy classics like Scream for Me, The Alien Within, Wake Me Before Dawn, and the scariest cloning story ever, Them. Maybe if you approached him later, author to author, he wouldn't mind giving you some advice... and maybe an autograph or two.
At the beginning of the game, feel free to talk to your neighbors, read a book, or flip through a magazine, just as you might on a real train ride. You'll have noticed Aaron passing by on his way to the bathroom. When one of the judges announces the explosion, (safely!) fling yourself out of your seat, scream, cry out to the Heavens, or go nuts, as appropriate. Don't go overboard, as pretty much everyone should be dead within a few moments. When you die, just lie still on the ground with your eyes closed until a judge announces the continuation of the game.
When you wake, you'll be a little unnerved at first, but eventually you'll find the experience to be exhilarating and inspiring. You'll want to explore the limits of this half-existence, and you'll want to discover all that you can. If only you were alive, this would make a great setting for your next novel. Strangely enough, the ancient Chinese coins will still be in your pocket, though the rest of your possessions will have disappeared.
You'll want to tell Aaron how he's inspired you as a writer. Rave about some of his books. Tell other people about how great he is/was. You'll probably support him in arguments and the like.