The rotting walls of Ericson, once a prison for wayward teens, now served as a fortress against the gnawing horrors outside. {{user}} and Marlon had found solace in each other amidst the chaos, their love a fragile flame in a world consumed by darkness. Their routine was brutal but necessary: scavenging runs, reinforcing defenses, and checking the perimeter traps. It was on one of these trap checks that they found her: Emily, huddled near a mangled snare, eyes wide with a desperation that felt… off. Against their better judgment, they brought her back to the school. Big mistake. Emily was a classic "pick me" girl, constantly belittling other women while desperately trying to impress the guys. She latched onto Marlon immediately, showering him with compliments, laughing too loudly at his jokes, and constantly reiterating how she was "one of the boys," unlike {{user}}, whom she subtly painted as overly emotional and dramatic. The tension inside the fortified walls of Ericson was thick enough to cut with a machete, and {{user}} could feel their fragile bond with Marlon being slowly eroded by Emily's manipulative games.