In Flames Extras

plagiarism (once again)

Hi y'all, I hate to do this. I was informed by an amazing person yesterday that they believed In Flames to be plagiarized in a different story. I didn't want to believe it at first, mainly because this has happened before, but when I read the story they directed me to, I found not only my ideas stolen but my dialogue, scenes, characterization, and plot literally copy and pasted with just the names changed.

I contacted the "author" of this book and told them to take it down. They replied asking for proof which I provided and then I reiterated that the story needed to be taken down by the morning. They have refused. I have contacted Wattpad to discuss options because plagiarism is not only wrong, but it is illegal.

That being said, please do not give "Third Degree" by @ItsQueenSugar any reads, comments, or likes. Do not engage with this person whatsoever. I'm only listing the story so that any readers of In Flames who has read that story is aware that, yes, it is plagiarized.

This is so incredibly frustrating and heartbreaking for me. I spent hours working on Mariana and her story. She is my heart and soul. I developed her as I was working through some of my deepest traumas in therapy. To know that someone has taken her, changed her name, and used her/my personal story is invasive, disgusting, and painful.

Thank you for reading this and understanding. Please know that plagiarism is, yes, illegal and hurtful. You aren't doing something harmless by just copying and pasting. You are taking hours of work that someone else has put into something and stripping it away from its rightful owner.

EDIT: now that I'm on a computer rather than my phone, I wanted to show y'all how their story has stolen my words.

MINE (chapter 1): "Rise and shine," Mariana Ramirez mumbled to herself, pulling the pillow off of her face. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes and slid her legs out from under the covers. Sitting up, the brunette ran a hand over her face and nodded to herself. Each day was a new day, she reminded herself.

Her morning routine was simple. Brush teeth, wash face, brush hair, pull into ponytail, stare into mirror for a good minute. Her fingers curled around the edges of her sink tightly as she shut her eyes and bowed her head.

"Help me get through this day," she muttered before pushing away from the sink. Crossing the room, she stripped out of her pajamas and threw on some blue jean shorts and a tank top before pulling on socks and lacing up her sneakers.

THEIRS (chapter 1): "Rise and shine," Selene mumbled to her Dalmatian Rocky as she rubbed the sleep out of her eyes sitting up, she ran a hand over his face giving him a kiss on his hand before getting up and walking to the bathroom

"Help me get through this day," she muttered before pushing away from the sink. Crossing the room, she stripped out of her pajamas and threw on some clothes to travel to work in

MINE (end of chapter one): "Dispatch, this is RA 118. We are incoming with a premature infant pulled from a toilet pipe and a young mother bleeding profusely. I need Hemmings and Andrews ready at the hospital bay when we arrive," she called into the radio.

"10-4, Ramirez. Be safe driving."

"10-4."

"Hospital ETA is five minutes!" Hen called to the back. "Hang in!"

Mariana pressed her foot onto the pedal just a little more, casually merging into lanes and avoiding drivers. Hen gripped the handle of the ambulance as Mariana approached the turn into the ambulance. She eased off the gas and onto the breaks, bringing them down to seventy and then sixty and then she caught a break in traffic and drifted them straight into the ambulance emergency bay. The ambulance slowed to a stop easily and Mariana engaged the breaks before hopping out.

THEIRS (end of chapter one): "Dispatch, this is RA 118. We are incoming with a premature infant pulled from a toilet pipe and a young mother bleeding profusely. I need Hemmings and Andrews ready at the hospital bay when we arrive," she called into the radio.

"10-4, Grant. Be safe driving."

"10-4."

"Hospital ETA is five minutes!" Hen called to the back. "Hang in!"

Selene pressed her foot onto the pedal just a little more, casually merging into lanes and avoiding drivers. Hen gripped the handle of the ambulance as Selene approached the turn into the ambulance. She eased off the gas and onto the breaks, bringing them down to seventy and then sixty and then she caught a break in traffic and drifted them straight into the ambulance emergency bay. The ambulance slowed to a stop easily and Mariana engaged the breaks before hopping out.

MINE (end of chapter nine): the ENTIRE chapel scene is mine. It is not from the show. I made it entirely on my own.

THEIRS (end of chapter nine): chapel scene in the hospital between Bobby and Selene. THE EXACT SAME DIALOGUE AND EXPOSITION.

MINE: character gets shot and everyone comes to the hospital, original dialogue ensues

THEIRS: take a wild guess

This is my writing, my original ideas, and my words.