Ted the Caver

[Zepar]

For those who aren't in the know, the internet story can be found here: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/caver/

A PDF of Thomas Lera's version, titled "The Fear of Darkness" can be found here: http://www.zenadsl6236.zen.co.uk/Thefearofdarkness.pdf

The person to whom all credit is due for bringing this to my attention, and his arguments: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=490085

This topic is not about whether the events of the story actually happened.

Ted, the person responsible for the website, has repeatedly claimed that Lera ripped off the story. In the final link provided above, several pieces of evidence are discussed. Among them:

1. The copyright for "The Fear of Darkness" reads "Thomas Lera 1987-2004" but the story is set in 2001.

2. There is another, possibly earlier version called "The Terror in Humpman's Cave"

3. Searching for Thomas Lera produces nothing except a website called www.thomaslera.com

4. There is a section of text reading "Thomas Lera AKA John Rowlands" indicating one may be a penname.

5. There is some technology in the stories that would have been very difficult to get in 1987.

And from HERE: http://grahamjw.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/ted-the-caver-mystery/ we have a letter, allegedly from Ted himself, containing even evidence of plagiarism.

Does anyone else think that maybe Ted wrote it first?

[Gohot]

For those who aren't in the know, the internet story can be found here: http://www.angelfire.com/trek/caver/

A PDF of Thomas Lera's version, titled "The Fear of Darkness" can be found here: http://www.zenadsl6236.zen.co.uk/Thefearofdarkness.pdf

The person to whom all credit is due for bringing this to my attention, and his arguments: http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=490085

This topic is not about whether the events of the story actually happened.

Ted, the person responsible for the website, has repeatedly claimed that Lera ripped off the story. In the final link provided above, several pieces of evidence are discussed. Among them:

1. The copyright for "The Fear of Darkness" reads "Thomas Lera 1987-2004" but the story is set in 2001.

2. There is another, possibly earlier version called "The Terror in Humpman's Cave"

3. Searching for Thomas Lera produces nothing except a website called www.thomaslera.com

4. There is a section of text reading "Thomas Lera AKA John Rowlands" indicating one may be a penname.

5. There is some technology in the stories that would have been very difficult to get in 1987.

And from HERE: http://grahamjw.wordpress.com/2009/09/17/ted-the-caver-mystery/ we have a letter, allegedly from Ted himself, containing even evidence of plagiarism.

Does anyone else think that maybe Ted wrote it first?

There's another Ted's story somewhere here on the net about the continuing exploration. If I remember correctly, it's about finding the ? end? of the cave or something more that was mysterious. I think it was called Ted's Cave the final story, or Teds mystery cave the final story, I can;t find it right now, but I know I read it on-line.

[Feenix Fire]

There's another Ted's story somewhere here on the net about the continuing exploration. If I remember correctly, it's about finding the ? end? of the cave or something more that was mysterious. I think it was called Ted's Cave the final story, or Teds mystery cave the final story, I can;t find it right now, but I know I read it on-line.

What? Really? I want to read it! I was just thinking about that story.

I remember reading it for the first time. I was so very into it and it was super quiet in my home when the phone rang. Nearly gave me a heart attack! LOL

[sickpuppy]

nice... i've reached a point in the story where he says "i'll be back when i finish exploring the cave..."

..and there are no more entries after that >_<

did i just get rickrolled?

[edit]

yes... yes i did

Edited April 30, 2012 by unit

[Mikko-kun]

I red Ted's story before, thanks for linking it here!

John's page says the cave is in Utah... a coincidence, this is not the only spooky story in that state.

[simoalley]

So does the story just end with them going back to the cave? As in there is no more after that? I need there to be more. I need answers.

[Shou]

This is actually one of my favorite stories (I tend to use the term 'creepy pasta' rather loosely! I had no idea there was a second part.