Tyrell Lahti

Name: Tyrell Kaapo Lahti

Gender: Male

Age: 18

Grade: 12

School: George Hunter High School

Hobbies and Interests: Cooking, music (post-hardcore, metal, folk), boxing, combat sports, language, history.

Appearance: Tyrell's most distinguishing feature, aside from his shoulder-length brown hair, is his height. He stands at 6'5, and quite proportionately so; an early growth spurt meant that he has already begun to fill out, and his lifestyle has left him anything but lanky. His eyes are dark green, nearly gray, and prominent. His features are sharp and considered quite conventionally attractive. He has a deep scar running from the right edge of his mouth to just below his cheekbone, the result of being struck in the face with a wrench. His arms and legs are absolutely littered with scars, and he typically keeps them covered, weather permitting. He has several ear piercings, most of which were done in the last year or so.

In dress, he typically wears black jeans, band t-shirts, studded belts and a chained wallet. Tyrell is the kind of person who simply refuses to wear a jacket of any kind; the most anyone will see him in is a beaten up, insulated hoodie that smells strongly of cigarettes. His shoes are either a rag-tag pair of runners or his black work shoes, depending on the day. Instead of a backpack, he takes a canvas military surplus bag, as it was affordable and he felt it suited him. If he feels he can get away with it, he usually carries a folding pocket knife in his back left pocket.

On the day of the abduction, Tyrell is wearing a black insulated hoodie, a black t-shirt with a menacing demonic design emblazoned in red, a set of black (though nearly gray) jeans torn at both knees, and his running shoes. He regularly ties his hair back into a ponytail with nondescript hair ties, or a bun when he's working in a kitchen.

Biography: Tyrell Kaapo Lahti was born to Jenna and William Marsden of Chattanooga, Tennessee. Jenna's parents were Finnish-Americans from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, and Tyrell's unusual name comes from his grandfather, Kaapo Lahti. Jenna Marsden works two jobs, first as a primary school teacher and secondly as a night-shift cleaner at a local hotel. William Marsden had a productive career in the United States Department of Defense, before a scandal involving sexual harassment with a subordinate resulted in his quiet administrative discharge. He attempted to find work as a tradesman for several years, and the family continues to struggle financially as a result of his health issues which burn through most of his meager pension.

Tyrell's upbringing was not an ideal one. The younger child of three, he was always seen as the runt of the litter by his authoritarian and wildly abusive father. Katja - nicknamed Katie - was the eldest of the three children, ten years ahead of Tyrell, and she left for university on a scholarship to Australia when he was nine years old. She has made little to no effort to contact the family since. This left Tyrell and Elliott who was two years his senior.

Elliott received little else but praise and adoration from his father, who saw him as an unusually competent child with an aptitude for productivity and the drive to see his ambitions through. He excelled academically and was a track & field star in high school, and had little issue with discipline. While Katie was seen as something of a failed experiment, Elliott was everything his father wanted in a son. What failings Bill Marsden had seemed to be rectified when he looked at his son, and he wasted little time grooming him in his image. Elliott was kind, without a mean bone in his body, and his decency towards Tyrell was one of the few things his father faulted him for.

Tyrell on the other hand, did not grow up with the physique or aptitude of his older brother and was quickly seen as an unwanted failure. Taking far more after his mother, his interests tended to be more in the realm of hobbies than anything his father could label as productive. As a child he was often bullied for being tall and lanky, and his father took his inability to stand up for himself as a sign of a weak spirit. Bill Marsden believed in strength through adversity, and took every opportunity to try and toughen up his son. Of course, this was something of a no-win situation as Tyrell responded by violently lashing out at his bullies, which resulted in disciplinary action from his elementary school and further ostracization. His father imposed corporal punishment for the slightest infraction, among other forms of abuse. If Tyrell was caught complaining, his father would lock him in his bedroom and deprive him of food. In his eyes, this was meant to show Tyrell the value of being a productive member of the family, and a taste of what life would be like without his father to care for the rest of them.

To be a man was to excel at a given task, to be a pillar of strength for one's community, and to show no weakness. Bill derided how "coddled" the current generation was and he perceived society as undergoing "pussification." To him, Tyrell's propensity to cry or run away was evidence of this. Naturally an emotional child, he would often react explosively when facing adversity for which he was relentlessly mocked. Once he heard a primary school classmate refer to sex, and eventually worked up the courage to ask his parents to explain it to him. Though his mother began an explanation, she was never able to complete it as Bill told her that someone like him would "never get laid" if he "kept acting like such a pussy all the god-damned time."

Though he was only twelve, Elliott was taught the birds and the bees and explained the facts of life to Tyrell. Such was the case with much of their upbringing, wherein Elliott was something of a surrogate parent in the places where their own parents failed miserably. Their mother had long since had a broken spirit through years of physical and emotional abuse, and was more or less complicit in her husband's monstrous actions.

As the years went by the situation improved mildly, with the demands of his career Bill ended up travelling quite a bit and leaving his family to their own devices. It was during these periods Tyrell was actually able to pursue his interests and develop as a person. Entering High School he quietly adopted his mother's surname, rejecting the attachment to his father in a small act of rebellion. Though this symbolic disconnection improved his self-image, he began to self-harm in the early years of high school as a means of coping with the emotional trauma of his abuse. At first this was through cutting and burning his arms, the source of several lasting scars; when that was discovered by Elliott, he found other methods of coping.

Tyrell's true passion has always been in performative tasks, and he expresses himself primarily through cooking and music. As soon as he had a chance to, he enrolled in the culinary program at George Hunter High and has been something of a star student ever since. Though their difficult financial situation precludes him taking too much of his hobby home with him, Tyrell made a point of cooking in the household whenever it was just him, his mother, and Elliott. Occasionally he has made basic food for the family when they were all together, sneaking in a few extra ingredients to family barbecues. Anything more would be far too "fancy" for his father, who continued to refer to him with homophobic slurs on account of his interests.

The aesthetic and frenetic energy of aggressive music scenes appealed greatly to Tyrell, and he has become something of a connoisseur in the last few years. On the one end he finds folk-metal interesting through much of its historical and mythological basis. On the other, he has a passion for post-hardcore and folk-punk, enjoying any band that displays a raw honesty and can speak to his struggles. For the most part, he'll listen to anything that makes him tap his feet or want to break something. He always has music playing in the background as he cooks. Tyrell's favorite bands are Polar Bear Club, The Front Bottoms, Korpiklaani, Hot Water Music, and AJJ. He owns an old acoustic guitar that used to belong to his grandfather, which he has slowly been learning to play via online tutorials and pirated e-books.

One of the few things Tyrell regards as a positive influence from his father was the introduction to a boxing gym in the early years of high school. An amateur boxer himself, Bill noticed that his son had considerable reach and promptly enrolled him in boxing lessons. To his great surprise, Tyrell took to it naturally. As he has grown into his physique more and more, he has found it a useful outlet for aggression. As an added bonus, he has felt more physically secure in his day-to-day life. Though he has since left the gym, he keeps an old heavy bag at home and practices regularly.

The end of the tenth grade was a time of change for the Marsden/Lahti household. Early in the year, Bill Marsden was embroiled in a small scandal regarding accusations of sexual impropriety with several young female subordinates and was summarily forced to resign, a few years short of a considerable pension milestone. With few applicable skills and a severely gutted retirement, Tyrell's father turned to what little trade skills he had to try and supplement his income. He also turned to drink, something he'd normally abstained from for most of his life on account of his own father being a prolific alcoholic.

This downward spiral imposed itself on his family, with one particular drunken rage resulting in him assaulting Tyrell with a spanner. It was one of the only times that Elliott had the courage to intervene on behalf of his younger brother, and he managed to fight off his father long enough to take Tyrell to a hospital. The strike to his face required several stitches and left a nasty scar along the right side of his face; additionally, several of Tyrell's teeth had to be replaced with titanium implants. The injury was explained away as a tool shelf having collapsed while Tyrell was helping his father in the garage; it was difficult to believe, but without a clear indication to the contrary there was little that could be done. At school, Ty offered his teachers the mundane explanation and made up extravagant stories for his peers - to some it was a zombie attack, to others a rogue land-shark.

While Ty desperately wished to see his father carted off to prison, it was clear that without what was left of his father's retirement income, their family would be in extremely dire financial straits.Though they refrained from pressing charges, Elliott had a long conversation with his father the next day, making it clear that this was going to be the last time anything like this ever happened. Finally catching a glimpse of the impact his actions were having on his family, or perhaps the only member of it he truly cared about, Bill seemed to withdraw into himself for a time.

The brief moment of peace wouldn't last long. Through a happy accident Elliott left on an excellent scholarship to Washington State University intending to study architecture; this meant that Tyrell found himself alone at home with both of his parents. The following year was hellish.

Jenna clung to Ty for support, which he was fundamentally unequipped to give as a teenager. A primary school teacher, she was always better at dealing with children than adults. She possessed a natural kindness about her that lent itself well to the profession, but was never known to hold controversial opinions or to advocate strongly for herself. Ty nevertheless attempted to build a better relationship with her over the year as she was his last remaining ally at home.

At the time, Ty was bringing home good grades, pulled in some money at a job as a line cook in a local restaurant, and was generally seen as a respectable young man by most of his parents' peers. This was still not enough for Bill, for whom people like Ty were those he and his friends had bullied at that age.

Though he'd refrained from physically engaging his son (Ty was beginning to surpass his father, who was suffering the effects of a wholly deleterious lifestyle) he nevertheless teased and berated him at every available opportunity. Anything was an opportunity for an argument, from his choice in music to his choice of career. Bill's politics very much aligned with those of Jerrod Canon, which Tyrell found by and large despicable; this became a constant and niggling point of contention between the two.

At the beginning of Ty's eleventh grade year, Elliott Marsden committed suicide by jumping from the 14th floor balcony of his apartment building. His death shocked both the university and his community back in Chattanooga. Providing little to no explanation other than a rambling, incoherent suicide note, his death completely took the wind out of Bill Marsden's sails. Jenna had something of a support network of friends and family who helped her cope with the tragedy, and as destructive as it was to her mental-well-being she managed to soldier on. Bill, on the other hand, ceased any attempt to find work and poured himself further and further into an alcohol-fueled depression.

Ty found himself numb to the experience. Though Elliott and he were very close, he had felt abandoned by his desire to go out of state for college - much as he understood why Elliott would want to leave. Where his mother vented her emotions to her social circle and his father found solace in a bottle, Ty felt resentful that both of his siblings had left him to deal with their parents. Over time he would come to mourn the loss of his brother, but only after many months of bitterness and barely-contained rage.

Katie heard of Elliott's suicide and traveled from Australia to attend the funeral, though she said little to nothing to her father. It was there that she confided the reasons for her departure to Ty. As it turned out, sexual impropriety had not been purely limited to the workplace in the case of their father. In this one limited interaction the two of them ruminated on the many chances they'd had to turn their father in and relented. According to Katie he hadn't always been quite as abusive as he was later on, though that seemed to take a hard turn as she entered her teenage years. She'd initially held on like her mother had, that he would eventually find some kind of balance and not have to constantly have a vice grip on his family's lives; when she realized this would never be the case, she fled as far as she could.

She made the same kind of offer to Tyrell the same offer Elliott had made to him: when he finished high school, she should join her and her family in Adelaide. He had a niece and a brother-in-law as it turned out, and he would be more than welcome to join them for a time provided he could find a long-term work visa. For a time after she left, he had seriously considered this offer.

While Bill normally came home quite late from bars, one night it was the Hamilton County Sheriff's department that arrived late at their home. Bill had fallen down outside of his watering hole of choice and became unresponsive shortly afterwards; apparently, he had suffered a massive stroke.

While he would survive, he lost the ability to speak or walk. His retirement benefits barely covered medical costs, and it consumed what savings the family had left. Bill now spends most of his days sat in front of the television or listening to audiobooks, as his ability to read has been severely impaired. Given Jenna's long work hours, she and Tyrell frequently have to trade off care-giving duties depending on who is able to be home. Though they have some extended family, most live out of state and are either unwilling or unable to help.

So for the time being, Tyrell works through high school and hones what skills he has. He faces a difficult decision as to whether or not to leave Chattanooga behind. Though he hasn't had an especially warm relationship with his mother, he still feels a responsibility to not leave her trapped in dealing with his father. It remains to be seen whether or not his drive to leave his past behind will win out.

Partially as a result of his father's alcoholism, Tyrell rarely drinks only really indulges in so-called party drugs in settings where they are available. He is however, a prolific smoker; while otherwise having a good diet and keeping in reasonably good shape, it has negatively impacted his physical stamina. Caffeine and nicotine go hand in hand as he keeps long hours at school and work, and he is often seen with a sugar-free Red Bull and a cigarette.

At George Hunter High, he is seen as a fairly affable individual, if not slightly unusual. His height and fashion choices often make him the center of attention, something he makes no effort to stop. Ty naturally enjoys being in the spotlight and testing the limits of what is and isn't acceptable socially, and frequently makes sarcastic jokes and jibes at the expense of others. Most of the time it is good natured teasing, though he is known to have a vicious mean streak when he is upset with someone. In social situations he feels a need to drive conversations and exert control, overcompensating for years of having no ability to do so. At best, Ty is often is the source of "crazy ideas" that turn into ill-advised adventures hours later. At worst, he can be quite manipulative and won't shy from turning friends against each other so that he can get his way. In his mind there is usually only one way a situation should go, and that is Ty's way. That being said, he does understand that it is easier to get what he wants from people by attempting to meet their needs, and rarely starts drama for its own sake.

Always willing to share his interests with friends and acquaintances, he's introduced a number of people to new bands and new foods. Though his musical home is in punk and post-hardcore, he has recently been warming up to other genres and often surprises people with his relatively open mind. Given his height and self-assured demeanor, he has little trouble getting into shows that he would normally be underage for; as a backup, he purchased a fake ID though he has never needed to use it.

Where others might restrain themselves from speaking their mind, Ty takes a certain joy in speaking what he views as uncomfortable truths, and will often press on with arguments when he believes someone to be logically inconsistent; regardless of whether or not it might be hurtful to do so. His reputation is, depending on the interlocutor, either a fairly decent and quirky person or an insufferable asshole. Ty is somewhat two-faced and it has left a sharp divide between people who find his attitude endearing, and people who simply can't stand him. Most of those who actively dislike him were originally friends that earned his ire one too many times.

He didn't typically seek out dates, preferring one-night stands at parties given his busy schedule and emotional unavailability. However, in the final year of high school, Tyrell entered into a relationship with Erika Stieglitz. While at first they were only friends who smoked cannabis together and shared music, it quickly spiraled into something much more serious. Erika revealed to him early on her status as a transgender woman and seemed to expected the relationship to end right there. However, Tyrell is committed to try and make things work between the two of them regardless of any misgivings he has, as he feels Erika is one of the few people he can be himself around.

Tyrell has a habit of getting into fights at parties given his inability to not share an opinion. Given his height and minor boxing experience, he usually has a good shot at winning. To him, fighting is less about hurting someone and more about proving a point, whatever that might be.

Advantages: Tyrell is no stranger to violence and won't back down from a fight. As well, he is both physically imposing and highly manipulative. Spending much of his life isolated and without meaningful recourse, he responds to crisis with rapid action and is unlikely to lose his cool.

Disadvantages: That may not be strictly ideal, as Tyrell is impulsive and will act more on instinct than anything else. He has a mean and petty streak that isn't going to win him many friends, a product of his ability to identify very clear faults in others and a compulsion to hold them to account for them. More than anything else Tyrell's provocative nature will work against him. Additionally, he is a smoker and has somewhat impaired physical stamina as a result.

Designated Number: Male student No. 009

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Designated Weapon: Crowbar

Conclusion: Does every athlete at this bloody school smoke? If it weren't for that and the fact he has the IQ of a Neanderthal, I would have said B009 actually stood a chance. - Trent Camden

'The above biography is as written by Shiola. No edits or alterations to the author's original work have been made.'

Evaluations
Handled by: Shiola

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Collected Weapons:  Crowbar (assigned weapon)

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Threads
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