like, copied the ENTIRE plot and re-written it, just better than I had? The characters were more fleshed-out than mine were, and the POV was more interesting, and the pace made more sense- but it was MY STORY?

So close to the end I was like "holy shit.. do I message them? Ask if my story inspired theirs? Should I be angry? Flattered?" Cause their tags and description didn't mention me AT ALL, which, sure, it's fanfiction to begin with, but if you're using my work than at least credit me as inspo, right? Just to be courteous?

But I get to the end of the final chapter, and it's not finished, and I'm kind of disappointed cause I never finished my story and I was really immersed in their version now and had been looking forwards to seeing how they tied up my loose ends- so I scroll to the bottom to leave a comment, and.

It's MY URL.

IT WAS MY STORY THE WHOLE TIME.

THE ONE *I WROTE*.

In *2013*.

And FORGOT ABOUT

BECAUSE I WAS SO INSECURE ABOUT MY SLOPPY, SHALLOW, AMETEUR WRITING

And I'm just sitting here now staring into space thinking about every shitty story I've ever written now like

IT WAS ALL GOOD?

IT WAS GOOD THIS WHOLE DAMN TIME??

Had a running bit for the first few months of living in my current house where I would do the Bigfoot pose every time my housemates walked into the room. Apparently I’m not particularly good at the bigfoot pose.

HOW

THE

FUCK

THANK YOU

You can read any implied text you see in this thing, even the book, that’s how detailed it is. Look at the painting on those letters!

jesus christ you’re just showing off now, Hans!

HANS OH MY GOD

cell phones often don't work during disasters or other unusually high phone traffic. payphones are landlines, so they still work as long as they're not cut from their line.

this is also true for some remote areas: there's a reason people working on remote sites (camp sites, forestry, emergency responders, etc.) have landlines, especially in places with changeable weather that could affect radio/walkie talkies/cell service.

payphones are extra important if someone is being threatened or held against their will: a kidnapper or other nefarious person could take/break a cell phone, but the payphone is bolted to the ground, and it would look suspicious if they dragged a victim away from it. a while ago a lost kid used a payphone to call 911.

in a similar vein, many emergency systems haven't been updated to keep up with modern cell phones (we haven't even had maps on our phones for 10 years yet), so depending on where you live it can be difficult for dispatchers to figure out where you are if you're using a cell phone. since payphones don't move, dispatchers know exactly where they are and can send help faster.