As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the streets, the bus rumbled to a stop in the parking lot of a Walmart. The scene before them was nothing short of chaotic—swarms of people rushed in and out of the store, grabbing whatever they could carry. Broken glass littered the ground, and discarded boxes and bags were strewn everywhere as people fought over supplies in a desperate scramble.Jean looked over the chaos, his face grim. "Alright, we're not the only ones who thought of this place. If we're quick, we can grab what we need and get out before things get even worse."Ms. Heather took a steadying breath, clutching the steering wheel as she glanced around at the crowd. "We need to be careful. With everyone panicking, it's not just the zombies we have to worry about."Chloe leaned back in her seat, wincing as she adjusted her twisted ankle. "Yeah, well, I'm not going anywhere. I'll just, like, slow you down," she said, crossing her arms.Evan looked at her and nodded, his face softening as he volunteered, "I'll stay behind with her. Someone should keep an eye on the bus anyway."Jean gave him an approving nod. "Good call. Alright, that leaves us to split up. We need fuel, food, essentials, and weapons, in that order."He turned to the group, assigning tasks. "Akira and I will get the essentials—anything we can find to help patch up wounds, water, batteries, flashlights, you name it. We'll keep it light but practical."Akira's eyes lit up as she took her place beside Jean, gripping her scissors tightly. "Got it, Jean. I won't let anything happen to you."Jean gave her a quick nod, too focused on the plan to notice the intense glint in her eyes. "Alright, next—Jordan, Ms. Heather. You're in charge of food. Grab what you can, but focus on stuff that lasts—canned goods, dried stuff. If things are getting crazy, just grab and go."Ms. Heather gave a determined nod, pushing her loose hair back. "We'll be quick. We don't want to stick around any longer than we have to."Jordan shrugged, grinning. "Just leave it to me. I'll clear out the snack aisle in no time."Jean turned to Brad and Lucas. "You two are on fuel duty. Check around the back or the outdoor section—if there are any containers of gas or kerosene, grab them. Anything that'll keep the bus going."Brad rolled his eyes, but nodded. "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Let's just get this over with."Lucas snorted. "Don't act like you're too good for this, man. Just get moving when we get inside."Lastly, Jean looked at Tyler and Brittney. "Tyler, Brittney—you two are on weapons. I know it sounds weird to get weapons from Walmart, but check the sports and hardware sections. Anything we can use to defend ourselves. Think bats, hammers, hell, even hunting knives if you find them."Brittney gave an exasperated sigh, glancing at her reflection in the bus window, adjusting her pink hair. "Ugh, weapons? That's, like, so not my vibe, but whatever. Gotta get that IRL survival content."Tyler rolled his eyes, adjusting his leather jacket. "Just don't slow me down. We need to get in and out before everyone clears the place out."With the pairs assigned and everyone clear on their roles, Jean glanced around one last time, his face serious. "Stick with your partner, and don't get separated. Grab what you can, keep it light, and if things get too dangerous, bail and head back to the bus. Got it?"Everyone murmured their agreement, some more enthusiastic than others, and gathered near the door, steeling themselves for the chaos that lay inside the Walmart.***As the others filtered out into the darkening Walmart parking lot, Evan stayed back on the bus with Chloe, who sat cross-legged with her injured ankle propped up on the seat in front of her. The silence between them was awkward and tense, punctuated only by the faint sounds of chaos echoing from the store.Evan glanced at her, shifting nervously as he tried to think of something to say. "Uh... how's the ankle? You, uh, need anything?"Chloe rolled her eyes, adjusting herself in the seat. "No, I'm fine. It's not broken or anything. Just twisted," she muttered, clearly irritated by the whole situation.Evan took a deep breath, determined to push past her annoyed tone. "If you need anything, I'm here, you know? I'm, like, pretty good with first aid and stuff. Not that you probably care, but I thought I'd, uh, offer."She raised an eyebrow, looking him over with a mix of disdain and curiosity. "You really don't get it, do you?" she said, sighing. "Guys like you are always so... desperate."Evan felt his face flush, but he shrugged it off, giving her a nervous smile. "Maybe, but, hey, you're worth it."Chloe stared at him for a moment, then let out a short laugh, clearly amused by his hopeless infatuation. But then her expression shifted, a glint of realization in her eyes as she leaned a little closer, giving him a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes."You know, what's your name again?" she asked, her voice suddenly softer, almost sweet.Evan's heart skipped a beat. "It's Evan," he stammered, trying not to sound too eager.She gave a small, thoughtful nod, her lips curling into a half-smile. "Evan, huh? Well, Evan, it's nice to know someone's actually willing to look out for me. All these other guys... they don't get it. They'd just leave me behind."Evan's face lit up, feeling a surge of hope. "No way, I wouldn't leave you behind. I'm, uh, I'm here for you. Really."Chloe leaned back, crossing her arms, giving him a look that was almost calculating. "Good to know. Maybe you're more useful than I thought," she said, her voice smooth and dripping with an edge that went right over Evan's head.Evan just nodded, completely smitten. "Yeah... anything you need, I'm your guy."Chloe's gaze shifted to the darkening parking lot, a smirk tugging at the corner of her mouth as she calculated exactly how far she could make this desperate simp go. For now, though, she played along, knowing he'd be all too easy to use.Q: What is the biggest simp you know?