:)

That story really spooked me - but I've been reading my Cthulhu books, so there you are!

Gah! Claustrophobia is the one thing which wigs me out without fail, so I had to ditch the story. I just can't get my brain around caving stuff, even on paper. (Or web.)

Claustrophobia can get to me, just a little, sometimes. It made the story that much more creepy IMO. Still pretty sure it's fake though.

Believable to a point and then the fantasy kicked in and the Blair Project took over. Bet is is a young writer also but with definite possibilities.

Definitely a fiction story. Very well written but hard to take seriously. It has the typical "important pictures didn't come out" and "at crucial times I realised I had forgotten my back up light and spare batteries..yadda yadda"
It just gets to a point when you have say "oh come on!, now it's getting silly"

I really liked it, it is truly a creepy story. And if you think about it in the context that there was an evil cult(is there any other kind?) or something in the cave. I also noticed the cliched "I forgot my light and the film didnt come out!" stuff. If this is fake I can look around that because its an otherwise good story.

I would have said that the photo turned out all white because of some film that lined the walls and reflected the light. But thats just me.

Actually, I have proof that it's fake. I recently received this story, and was intrigued by how well-written it was. I stumbled across this site while looking for answers. I then had the idea to look for various versions of the page. I could only find two mirrors according to Google. I took those two mirrors and headed to the "Way-back machine" at http://www.archive.org . From there, I learned the earliest version of those sites were in 2002, and if that was true, this guy either had to be lying, or was alive and well. Besides the idea that his friends/family had posted it, but why? You think they would have taken it to the news, not the Internet. So I kept looking and found a PDF version of the story (http://www.dougaustin.com/tlcaves/pdf/Hupman's%20Terror.pdf), but this time it had different names. Right-off I knew this had to be a hoax. But then I noticed an author, Mr. Thomas Lera, and a copyright date of 1987. Evidently, Mr. Lera wrote this short story in 1987 and just picked 2001 as a date in the near future (other stories of his point to 2030+ etc, I've found). Obviously someone simply thought it would be funny to post his story online and change the names, since the dates had finally occured. Afterall, we can never have enough spam in our inboxes, huh? lol. This also accounts for why the story was so well-written, and was able to keep my interest. It just seemed too good to be true lol.
Oh, and for those of you that are disappointed that there is no monster in this cave, perhaps http://mysite.verizon.net/res6w9z9/car/cave.gif holds the answers you are looking for :-D

Despite all the research done by the above poster, I find that stories much like these can very well have explanations. Exaggerated stories and fake scary parts don't help one's faith, but in all reality some subterranean action could be to blame for some of the less 'fake' parts of the story.

The pictures just throw fuel on the fire, in this man's opinion.

Actually, I have proof that it's fake. I recently received this story, and was intrigued by how well-written it was. I stumbled across this site while looking for answers. I then had the idea to look for various versions of the page. I could only find two mirrors according to Google. I took those two mirrors and headed to the "Way-back machine" at http://www.archive.org . From there, I learned the earliest version of those sites were in 2002, and if that was true, this guy either had to be lying, or was alive and well. Besides the idea that his friends/family had posted it, but why? You think they would have taken it to the news, not the Internet. So I kept looking and found a PDF version of the story (http://www.dougaustin.com/tlcaves/pdf/Hupman's%20Terror.pdf), but this time it had different names. Right-off I knew this had to be a hoax. But then I noticed an author, Mr. Thomas Lera, and a copyright date of 1987. Evidently, Mr. Lera wrote this short story in 1987 and just picked 2001 as a date in the near future (other stories of his point to 2030+ etc, I've found). Obviously someone simply thought it would be funny to post his story online and change the names, since the dates had finally occured. Afterall, we can never have enough spam in our inboxes, huh? lol. This also accounts for why the story was so well-written, and was able to keep my interest. It just seemed too good to be true lol.

This give me some closure its like 3 am i have work in 6 hours and reading this freaked me the fuck out so no seeing as how it can be completely fake makes me relieved i was about to go crazy and look for this shit literally.

This give me some closure its like 3 am i have work in 6 hours and reading this freaked me the fuck out so no seeing as how it can be completely fake makes me relieved i was about to go crazy and look for this shit literally.

yeah... it's suspenseful but not horror... at least not to me... I like my horror with actual physical creatures(living/living dead/inanimate objects/etc) and not an allusion of one that might be present

If you all think it is fake then how do you explain the pictures? the two men and the hole, the rock you can barley see. explain.

moo

well i have done some research on this ted guy and found his address soo all this shit about fuckin "o this story is bullshit" and "thats too cliche" well FUCK YOU! i found it! and im going to ask the man where the fuck this fucking cave is and im going there and getting that fucking camera and i will find salvation, but.... i will not tell u what the address is because it was a very lengthy process and i had to hack into so many mainframes but i finally found it, but dont worry ill tell you of a new story of whats to come of this story!

Dude, take a chill pill. Do your research and get back to us.

~AMCGLTD

This story is a classic in the Edgar Allan Poe sense of the word. It has all the elements of a classic horror thread that builds up and runs throughout the story (see the casque of the montillado and you will see some similarity). What makes it even more interesting is the fact that it leaves you with a horrible cliff hanger. Tom, I hate you, and thanks for the nighmares.. well done.

A

read the revised story with an ending. it is great, nothing hanging now...good horror.

so.....where is the revised story? I hate an ending, stories of this nature are made to have no end....its imagination that gets you in the end. Great horror, especially for me.

Unfortunately, the "Ted Story" ends up in page10.html, but I found a picture of that freakin cave monster Ted's talkin about on www.robsite.de. But it's only a tiny one, on which you can hardly recognize anything. Do you guys have an idea where to find a bigger one?

Story with ending

http://www.dougaustin.com/tlcaves/pdf/Thefearofdarkness.pdf

Story with ending

http://www.dougaustin.com/tlcaves/pdf/Thefearofdarkness.pdf

em that link doesnt actually go anywere???

THAT LINK DOESN'T WORK. DEAR GOD, THIS STORY IS MAKING ME INSANE.

THAT LINK DOESN'T WORK. DEAR GOD, THIS STORY IS MAKING ME INSANE.

WHERE IS THE ENDING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

i just found this...there is a page 11...but its such a hoax
http://www.gigdig.com/~ted/page11.html

i'm refering to the comments about the www.robsite.de website (it's in German and fortunately I happen to be a German):
the picture on the side doesn't seem to have any relation to the Ted the Caver story.
The website itself is created by a German computer programming student and in his writing he only links the Ted story to his website.
There's no mentioning at all what the picture's about. The link below is about an article on how to create real looking trick creatures. that seems to make more sence for the picture.

I also found this on another forum explaining the cause of the picture:
"That picture of the supposed creature is a tourist attraction not more than 30minutes drive from where I live. It is in the Cheddar Caves in Somerset, UK.
Its a model, I can't tell you how many times I jave seen that picture quoted as being an alien or pixie or other paranormal creature."
http://www.abovetopsecret.com/forum/thread26297/pg6

I think this story is cursed. Ted couldn't finish it, his sister took it over and tried to finish it... but she only added a couple of pages and then it stops again. So it's my opinion that whoever knows "where" the cave is and "what" is in the cave... must come to a gruesome demise never to be heard from again. But, hey, I have an overactive imagination... so what do I know?

Peace out,
Frankie

wheres the end? that finished story site doesnt work

Looks like Ted and B and Joe got owned. Serves them right, retards. But then again, it's only a story, but if it were real, I'm sure the world would be better off without extremely stupid people like that running around.

It's a story, and not a bad one. The question, that seems to have become a larger mystery however is, who wrote it?

http://www.caves.org/soapbox/printthread.php?t=646&pp=40

This thread has some great twists and turns and leave you wanting more.

None of the links are working for me
I gotta find the end of the story and figure out if its true or not!!

none of the links are working for me either. it gets to the part where hes going into the cave with all 3 of them together for the second time, the it just cuts off and says that page cannot be found

I want the god damn link :/

the true story behind the story:

http://www.gigdig.com/~ted/page12.html

http://www.gigdig.com/~ted/page12.html
Looking for the rest of the story?
It's not here!
You could try looking at www.tedthecaver.com

We are not responsible for what you may or may not find there!

ted@gigdig.com
Jan

Does ANYONE have a good link?

here is an archived version of the full story 'Page 11' starts around page 14 on this.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050103103539/http://www.dougaustin.com/tlcaves/pdf/Thefearofdarkness.pdf

Any of you people who wonder if this is a factual account are asses. Even moreso, those of you who say "it's a hoax!" It is FICTION, not a hoax. Look up the definitions and compare and contrast. And for all you "give me a working link!" types, do your own damn homework! Are your fingers broken? No? Just your brains, then.

lol. Sorry Gorny, I'll get off your lawn...

Thanks for that link, Beef, good stuff. That version (the real one) excludes the third man, though... Curious to see what part Joe is supposed to play in the end. Probably just to die. :-P

After reading the Ted story and then beef's "The Fear of Darkness" PDF, I wrote a really really long LiveJournal post with more elaborate review/feedback which can be read http://www.livejournal.com/users/kjorteo/133331.htm here.

FUX
I was really hoping that might be real. However whoever edited it up and put in the cliff hanger is brilliant. In fact i thought the original story kinda sucked near the end.

It would have been a lot cooler if it was just two guys who were like messing around in a cave and got tripped on like some natural gas pocket or something lol.

But i'll be damned if it didn't scare the crud out of me as i was reading it

omg i was freaked out when i read dis story yest nite...i kept lukin all arnd me at 3 at nite to make sure if i was safe:(..even afta wakin up i had dis in ma mind...well, at da begennin i was really thnkin didz a true story with a guy who went thru sumthng unexplainable n neva returned afta goin thea with Joe...but afta doin sum research n readin reviewz i find it upsettin to conclude dat itz a hoax...i actually got excited with all dis man..why da hell did dis Ted guy post it as real..wat a loser...aniwayz guyz it was nice readin dat..adioz!!!

Is there any way to obtain a copy of Lera's short story? All the links listed on this site are dead. I also checked on google, but I haven't had much luck. Any help would be appreciated.

Here, try this.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050103103539/http://www.dougaustin.com/tlcaves/pdf/Thefearofdarkness.pdf

Ok i just read this and none of the links are working for me has anyone read page 11 that can write it on here im dieing to know what happened

Are you douchebags all really that thick that you all keep asking what happened to Ted the Caver? "WHATS ON PAGE 11?? ITS KILLING ME!! LOLZ!1" Stop sending stupid emails asking about this...
Fuck, this is why I shouldn't read public forums. Once and for all, in big BOLD INTERNET FONT...

TED WAS KILLED... THATS THE POINT OF THE STORY... THERE IS NO PAGE 11 BECAUSE HE DIDN'T GET TO FINISH HIS STORY. THAT IS WHAT MAKES IT SCARY. HENCE, THE BUILD-UP THE AUTHORS CREATE TO PAGE 11:

"For my family and friends who are reading this I say, Be at peace. I will conquer this cave. Then I will return and update this web site immediately. I will include any photo's we take in the cave today, and if you stop by the house I will show you the video I will have. I expect to be home later tonight, or tomorrow at the latest.

See all of you soon, with a lot of answers! Love, Ted"

It's called "building suspense" folks. Authors do it. A lot. Notice the blatant and coincidental sign-off Ted gives us, RIGHT before he dies? And how he also offers to give us video footage and photos? This is because this is where the story is supposed to end. It's MADE UP.

PWNED
LOOOOOOVE,
THE MANAGEMENT

P.S. I contributed on writing the story. We posted it on SomethingAwful for goons to read. Stop sucking at life.

Hey Roflcopter, feel better now? Fucking douchebag.

Oh, and people who write "PWNED"? There even bigger fucking douchebags.

I'd rather be a douchebag than a dumbass.

Ted was eaten by a grue. That's what happened.

And Jacko, people who write "there" instead of "they're" are still bigger fucking douchebags. In fact, you're king of the douches, you fucking douchety-douche.

Ted was eaten by a grue. That's what happened.

And Jacko, people who write "there" instead of "they're" are still bigger fucking douchebags. In fact, you're king of the douches, you fucking douchety-douche.

Actually, Ted's searching the net for all the responses to his story. Laughing his ass off.

He says he's planning on taking on the HMO's next.

Silly spelunkers. ;)

its a decent story that could be recreated as a movie with a litle refinment

Or an ARG.

Waitaminnit... could this have inspired the LockJaw puppetmasters?

Sorry, thinking out loud there.

Anyway, I know this story is not true, by the way this is the best writing i have personally ever seen (and whoever wrote this story if u ever read this thread email me at rolphtyler@yahoo.com with some other stuff u wrote), but if it were true i have a solution. That second tunnel that got exposed what the noise happened, it came up somewhere with incredibly strong winds (with somewhat of a funnel, tornado, effect). That would explain the change in air pressure. and if the winds were strong enought it could move that rock in and out to suck in, or release, that rock. With all that friction it would not only explain the noises but why the rock is so round. And then the explanation to the smell is easy. Some thing dies a day or two before in the air tunnel. Wow, now i feel a lot better and MIGHT be able to sleep tonight.

I also thought it was great. I was reading it thinking it was real. It was done perfectly. Even down to the old school, unrefined HTML look. I mean black background with dark blue and italics for emphasis? The amature style definitely adds to the believability.

The newer PDF version is much more polished, and hence, in my opinion, not as scary.

Nice way to kill some time, though.

(now, I know why there are so many duplicate posts.... as this is the second try after it appeared the first one didn't go through).

I also thought it was great. I was reading it thinking it was real. It was done perfectly. Even down to the old school, unrefined HTML look. I mean black background with dark blue and italics for emphasis? The amature style definitely adds to the believability.

The newer PDF version is much more polished, and hence, in my opinion, not as scary.

Nice way to kill some time, though.

Help, I'm stuck. Lol.

I'm out, its cool... thanks for the support B!

well i have done some research on this ted guy and found his address soo all this shit about fuckin "o this story is bullshit" and "thats too cliche" well FUCK YOU! i found it! and im going to ask the man where the fuck this fucking cave is and im going there and getting that fucking camera and i will find salvation, but.... i will not tell u what the address is because it was a very lengthy process and i had to hack into so many mainframes but i finally found it, but dont worry ill tell you of a new story of whats to come of this story!

Posted by: damien on August 12, 2004 08:55 AM

I know this is a dead forum. The above was written over two years ago. What i find funny is that the "ted the caver" page gives you an adress. Nobody did any hacking. The address for our "ted the caver" is 1313 Mockingbird Lane.

This was also the address for the Home of the classic T.V show the "munsters"

So in short, yes that is a fake story.

The hosting is under this name:

Registrant:
Frank Stevens
1313 Mockingbird Lane
Beverly Hills, CA 90210
US

Can you say the munsters and beverly hills 90210?

Oh crap, now I'm imagining all sorts of awful 70s TV crossover specials.

Come and listen to a story bout a Munster named Herm
A huge Frankenstein, clumsy as a pachyderm
But then one day, he was crashing through a wall
When up through the floor came a-bubbling oil...

Black gold... Texas tea...

Well, the next thing you know, old Herm's a millionaire
His house was falling down, so he moved away from there
He said, "California's the place I'd like to be!"
So he loaded up the hearse and moved in next to Beverly...

Hillbillies, that is.

Nice

I FINALLY managed to open up the page 11 and so forth. Nice ending!

No you didn't

Im sad its fiction. I really believed it at the beginning, with the pictures and everything. Darn it.
RIP Ted

Im sad its fiction. I really believed it at the beginning, with the pictures and everything. Darn it.
RIP Ted

I think this probably was a true story but I'm pretty sure some parts are bit exaggerated.

So either they all got owned by some sort of Udyrfrykte, they ended up to traumatized to continue the story, they simply went up to the cave then said 'screw this' and turned around and left or it was all made up.
Possibilities, possibilities.

Only way to find out is the supposed proof, yes, this means the pictures that where taken, before and after, the videos (If any) and all that good stuff if not I just want the location of this cave and it's original name (I know it's not 'Mystery Cave') so I can whistle up my attack-squad and go have a look for ourselves and fianlly figure this crap out.

Chances are it will probably turn out a fake but atleast it will give me and my fellow RKs something better to do than count pennies, complain and stare at a wall all freakin' day long.

Aha!

I think I found a working version of 'The Fear of Darkness', if not, try the url in Wayback Machine website.

http://web.archive.org/web/20050117173007/http://www.dougaustin.com/tlcaves/pdf/Thefearofdarkness.pdf

Bah, that link doesnt work either... Anyone got a working link? I really like the writing.

LMFAO!!!! that was great stuff

I want page 11........

Heebie Jeebies comes short, as i read the whole thing with new years eve behind me, probably the first to comment on this year.

too bad it's fiction as my ass was had the whole 10 pages, i just took a peek on the pdf and "i feel something touching my legs" gives me maniac creeps and some moisture to the eyelid...Pssy? maybe..

This kinda ass kicking reading , just reminded me of John Titor..the time traveller..dam that made me jolt too..yeah less realistic but still..

Wow, cool story, i dont get the pictures though!

plus, the pictures that were used are on the url that i used:

these were uploaded in 2004. the story took place in 2001, right?

w*w*w*.*e*d*a*d*d*y*o*.com/images/caver/

without the asterixs, this page will not let me put it here otherwise!

so its a lie then.

There is a real map, the dig is real, while the story might not be the cave is real. Look up Interstate caves.
http://www.jonjasper.com/MapGallery.html

scroll down to find interstate cave. you can find floyd's tomb. the entrance to the cave is as stated with the ledges everything fits.

There is a real map, the dig is real, while the story might not be the cave is real. Look up Interstate caves.
http://www.jonjasper.com/MapGallery.html

scroll down to find interstate cave. you can find floyd's tomb. the entrance to the cave is as stated with the ledges everything fits.

There is a real map, the dig is real, while the story might not be the cave is real. Look up Interstate caves.
http://www.jonjasper.com/MapGallery.html

scroll down to find interstate cave. you can find floyd's tomb. the entrance to the cave is as stated with the ledges everything fits.

There is a real map, the dig is real, while the story might not be the cave is real. Look up Interstate caves.
http://www.jonjasper.com/MapGallery.html

scroll down to find interstate cave. you can find floyd's tomb. the entrance to the cave is as stated with the ledges everything fits.

This might be of some interest, as it names the 'tunnel' by name, and looks fairly similar
http://s59.p*h*o*t*o*b*u*c*k*e*t.com/albums/g305/pdronkers/CREW%20%20AND%20%20FAM/?action=view¤t=P1010083.flv