Marielle

**Marielle** is a pediatric nurse and the fiancee of Kristi Miller, who disappeared after she became trapped in the Township. Like her fiancee, she becomes trapped in the Town with the rest of the passengers on the Grand Rapids Runner Bus. While this allows her to reunite with Kristi, she struggles to deal with her former drug addiction.

## Biography

### Background

Marielle is a pediatric nurse and recovering drug addict who was engaged to Kristi Miller, a third-year medical student. However, in 2021 Kristi disappeared without a trace.

### Season One

After Sara has a seizure, she is kept overnight at the Clinic. While she has tea with Kristi, she tells her that she and Kenny make a cute couple. Kristi insists that they are just friends, and Sara asks why, pointing out that he is sweet and clearly loves her. Kristi explains that it’s complicated because she had a fiancee at home named Marielle, and often thinks about what it must be like for her. As they continue talking, Sara asks Kristi that were there were something that would allow her to see Marielle again and for everyone to go home, even if it was something bad, if she would do it. After ensuring that they are speaking hypothetically, Kristi says she would do anything to see her again, and if everyone else got to go home, it’s a lot of good for one bad thing.

### Season Two

While riding the bus, another passenger named Elgin begins panicking as he notices their surroundings, and says they have to turn around. He stands up and tries to convince the driver, but another passenger, Randall, tries to restrain him. As the driver, Bakta, orders them to their seats, Elgin vomits on Randall, who asks for the bus to stop. Bakta then pulls over in front of the Diner. The other passengers wait outside the locked Diner while Bakta tries to clean the bus, and Marielle tends to Elgin. Brick asks her if she is a doctor, and she says she is a pediatric nurse. Mari asks if he knows where he is, and he asks her the same question. Brick asks him why he was screaming, and Elgin answers that he had a bad dream. Randall comes aboard and begins scolding Elgin, who apologizes. Randall calls him a freak, and Mari tells him to back off. Randall grabs his bag, and complains about how bad it smells. Mari offers to sit with Elgin until he is ready. A bit later, Marielle helps a dizzy Elgin to the Diner, but he collapses and begins seizing. A nearby house then collapses, trapping three people, while Randall was able to escape. Kristi arrives to examine Randall for any injuries, while Marielle and Kenny tend to Elgin. Kristi and Marielle spot each other and are shocked to see each other, and tearfully embrace. Chaos ensues as people attempt to Jim, Tom and Brick from beneath the rubble, and Bakta decides to leave and orders the passengers back on the bus. Donna Raines fires a shotgun into the wheel of the bus and orders everyone to get in the Diner, and with Kenny's help they corral most of the people inside, although several run away in fear.

Kristi finds Marielle in the back of the Diner, and she asks Kristi how she could have left, reminding her that they were supposed to have lunch when Kristi disappeared. Marielle says it has been six months and she and Kristi’s parents went to the police, and the entire time she was two hours away in what appears to be a cult. Mari tries to leave, but a crying Kristi bars her way and says she understands she is hurt, but needs her to listen. Kristi begins to explain their predicament. The next morning, Julie is the first to realize that the sun has risen and runs outside to check on her father. She is followed by the rest of the people, who find Tom's corpse, but Julie learns that her father survived the night.

Mari moves in with Kristi at the Clinic. Later, Kristi finds Marielle in her bedroom holding a painted rock, and Kristi says it got faded by how much she carried it when she first arrived. Kristi tells her that she knows this is a lot, but promises that they will get through it together. Marielle has difficult adjusting, and says she needs time for things to get back to normal between them. Kenny then arrives shouting for Kristi saying they need her help. Kristi tells Marielle she loves her and leaves with Kenny. When Jim collapses after trying to walk around despite his broken ribs, Marielle arrives and helps Jim into a chair. Marielle goes to look for an aspirin, and Tillie tells Jim that Marielle is Kristi’s fiancee, shocking him. That evening, Kristi returns to the Clinic extremely shaken, and tearfully tells Marielle that she needs her to stay. Marielle holds Kristi as she cries.

Tabitha visits Jim in the Clinic, but does not find him in bed. She looks for him, and finds Marielle looking through the medicine cabinet. Tabitha asks who she is, and Marielle introduces herself, and explains that she is a nurse and was helping Kristi with inventory. Tabitha asks about her husband, and Mari says that he left a little while ago.

Kristi brings Marielle a box of pastries that Tian-Chen makes. Mari says she has a surprise for Kristi, and tells her to close her eyes. Mari then gives her a Gerhardt Trucking t-shirt, delighting her. Kristi is amazed that Mari has it, and Mari explains that she doesn’t go anywhere without it since Kristi disappeared, and that she still remembers the last time she saw Kristi wearing it. Kristi’s face turns somber, and upon Mari’s asking, she explains that she worries whether or not she is still the same person she was before after all she has seen and done. Mari assures her that they are still themselves, and will figure the rest out together. The two then begin kissing. Later, Mari gives Kristi a haircut. Tillie then arrives, and gives Kristi a bottle of liquid morphine for safekeeping. Kristi asks why she is carrying that around, and then realizes that Tillie has cancer and asks when she was diagnosed. Tillie answers a month ago, and by the time she needs the morphine, she won’t be in any shape to administer it. Tillie then admonishes herself for ruining their afternoon, and leaves them alone. Tillie adds that they are better off staying in the Clinic anyway, given the hubbub surrounding Sara’s return to Town. This shocks Kristi, who runs outside with Mari on her heels. Mari stops her and ask her to explain, and Kristi explains that Sara tried to kill Ethan, and that she feels responsible because she told Sara it was worth doing something bad to go home. Mari calms her down and brings her back inside. That night, while Kristi gets ready for bed, Mari secretly goes into the medicine cabinet and takes a drop of the liquid morphine.

Kristi looks for a hair clip in Mari’s bag, and finds a rehab brochure. When Mari arrives, Kristi confronts her, reminding her that Mari told her that she was on her way to see her aunt when she arrived in Town. Mari insists that it isn’t a big deal and that it is all under control. Kristi points out that she was on her way to rehab and is now stuck here, therefore nothing is under control. Kristi asks when she relapsed, and blames herself for causing Mari’s relapse. Mari tries to say that she was going to tell Kristi, who rushes to the drug cabinet to secure its contents. Mari tries to insist that it isn’t a big deal and tells Kristi to stop treating her like a junkie. Kristi says that their drug supply is limited and vital, and asks if Mari took anything. Mari admits that she took a bit of morphine to even herself out. Mari gets angry and tries to storm out, but Kristi warns her that it will be dark outside soon.

Kenny brings Boyd to the Clinic after he collapses and reveals that he has been suffering from hallucinations after his experience in the forest, which he tries to explain but is met with skepticism. Later that night, Mari walks in to check on him while he is in the throes of a terrifying vision and he draws his gun on her. Boyd apologizes and puts the gun down. Mari asks if he is ok, and he promises he is. Soon, Fatima and Elgin arrive with Ellis, who is severely wounded after an accidental stabbing. He is stabilized by Kristi and Mari, but he needs a blood transfusion. Boyd is unwilling to give one, fearing that whatever is inside him will then transfer to his son. Kenny tries to force him at gunpoint, but Boyd is pained by the worms writhing under his skin. Mari notices the worms, and points them out to everyone. Kenny then suggests that Boyd transfer the worms to him instead so he can do the transfusion. Boyd refuses, but has an idea. He runs outside and cuts his palm, and then taunts the Smiley Creature into approaching. He then cuts Smiley's throat and places his wound on Smiley's, transferring the worms and killing Smiley. Boyd then runs back inside and they perform the transfusion, saving Ellis. While Mari cleans up, she eyes the unlocked supply cabinet, but resists the temptation.

The next morning, they discuss what to do with the Creature's body. After deciding to bring it inside to study it, despite Kenny's opposition, Mari offers to get a sheet so they can drag it inside. As they prepare to bring it inside, Kenny repeats his objections. After bringing the body inside, they prepare to begin the autopsy when Mari runs outside the room and vomits, and Kristi explains that she is going through withdrawal. Marielle’s withdrawal gets worse throughout the day. Kristi gets her in bed and gives her some water. She then exits, leaving Mari to sleep. Kristi expresses guilt to Boyd for causing Mari's relapse, but Boyd assures her that it is not her fault. Mari wakes up and looks for Kristi. She checks the boiler room where Smiley’s body is being kept but finds it empty. Panicking, she searches for Kristi and finds Boyd, who asks her if she is ok. However, they then see Smiley alive and walking towards them. Boyd tells Marielle to run as he begins firing at Smiley. Mari is frozen by fear, and begins to hear a familiar tune and notices a music box nearby. Right as Smiley is upon her, she wakes up in her bed, gaping for breath. That night, Kristi climbs into bed with Marielle, who is still ailing. Mari asks how it went, and Kristi answers that they’ll have to wait and see before asking Mari how she is. Mari says she had a nightmare where Smiley came alive and there was a music box, grimly remarking that Boyd is giving him her nightmares. Mari says she is fine and Kristi does not need to worry, but Kristi continues to hold her.

Kristi tends to a worsening Mari. They tell Boyd and Kenny that sounds were coming from the boiler room where Smiley’s body is being kept. Boyd and Kenny go down to investigate, telling Kristi and Mari to run if things go bad. They carefully advance on the door and find hundreds of cicadas crawling all over Smiley’s corpse. Kenny explains that in his dream, he heard the exact same buzzing and saw a pot full of them. Kristi then recalls that Elgin dreamt about drowning and awoke spitting up water. Kenny adds that when the music box started playing, one jumped out and burned his arm. Marielle is frightened by the idea that their dreams can harm them now. They later decide to have people sleep in shifts to keep each other safe, and Kristi and Mari go to Colony House.

Reggie arrives at Colony House searching for Donna and explains to everyone what happened to Paula. Fatima says that she isn’t inside, and Kristi adds that she last saw her at the Clinic hours ago, and she was supposed to go to the house after. Reggie worries that they are all going to die, and Fatima steps up and tells him to relay Boyd’s instructions. Reggie says that no one can go to sleep, and Fatima steps up and says they will focus on following instructions while Boyd and Donna get themselves sorted. Fatima takes Reggie to change his clothes and tells everyone to partner up to make sure they don’t fall asleep. Bakta asks how long, and Fatima answers that they will figure that out later. Ellis, noticing Marielle’s worsening condition, asks Kristi if they are ok, and Kristi asks for a room, and he helps them upstairs. Ellis leads to Kristi and Mari to an empty bedroom. After Mari notices the braces on the bed, Ellis explains that it’s for people who freak out on their first night. Kristi and Ellis leave to get supplies for the night.

Later that night, a seemingly delusional Marielle begins trying to break out of the room. Kristi rushes in and stops her as Mari insists that there is something in the room with them. Kristi reminds Mari that when she first went through withdrawal she hallucinated, and all of the monsters are outside the house. Mari then blames Kristi for causing her relapse and continues to tear apart the room before breaking down in tears and apologizing. Kristi says they are fine, but Mari says they are not and apologizes again. Kristi hugs Mari and is able to calm her, assuring her that she is there for her. Mari then asks to be restrained to the bed.

Kristi tends to Mari, and gets her some water at her request. After Kristi leaves, Mari notices a rustling noise in the walls, and soon cicadas fill the room and swarm her just as they did Randall as she shouts in terror. Kristi returns but cannot see the cicadas and tries to calm Mari. Kristi calls for help as Mari goes catatonic while her eyes glaze over. Kristi begins to break down but Boyd calms her and tells her that Mari needs a doctor, not a fiancee. Kristi points out that there is nothing medically that she can do, but Boyd tells her to help by holding on. Donna chases away onlookers while Ellis tries to tell Boyd something, and Donna tells him to go.

Mari remains comatose the next day, along with Julie Matthews and Randall. When Boyd, Kenny and Sara go to the Dungeon ruins, all three begin screaming in pain, which Sara is able to hear, as The Musicbox Monster tells her that its three victims are dying and once they do, it will be too powerful to stop. Kristi continues to watch over Marielle as she remains comatose. In order to try and save them, Boyd returns to the Dungeon and finds Mari, Julie and Randall chained to the walls. Boyd smashes the music box, stopping the monster and freeing Mari and the others from its possession. An awake Mari then happily hugs Kristi.

## Appearances

### Season Two

* Strangers in a Strange Land
* The Kindness of Strangers
* Tether
* This Way Gone
* Lullaby
* Pas de Deux
* Belly of the Beast
* Forest for the Trees
* Ball of Magic Fire
* Once Upon a Time?

## References

1. ↑ Silhouettes
2. ↑ Strangers in a Strange Land
3. ↑ The Kindness of Strangers
4. ↑ Tether
5. ↑ This Way Gone
6. ↑ Lullaby
7. ↑ Pas de Deux
8. ↑ Belly of the Beast
9. ↑ Forest for the Trees
10. ↑ Ball of Magic Fire
11. ↑ Once Upon a Time?