My Sniper System in a Zombie Apocalypse World-Chapter 90: What Was Left Behind

Faint voices floated around Sumiko as her ears picked up the murmurs.

"Who’s that little girl?" Elena whispered.

"We found her in the prison cell," Jaxon said urgently. "We have to help her, quick."

"She’s severely undernourished." Elaine’s voice trembled. "What do we do?"

"Check for wounds first," Elena spoke. "Make sure she isn’t hurt."

"Her clothes... they’re soaked and filthy," Elaine murmured. "We need to clean her... and feed her."

Gently, they rolled her onto her side. Sumiko felt cool, damp cloths brushing against her thin arms and legs as they cleaned small scrapes and bruises. Every touch was careful and deliberate, like they were afraid to wake her.

Sumiko felt something soft brush her lips. A thin, warm liquid touched her mouth, but her mind was fogged with exhaustion.

"Jun... where are you?" she whispered weakly.

"Shh... it’s okay," Isabel soothed, brushing her dark hair back from her face. "Just rest."

Too weak to resist, Sumiko let her body go limp. The warmth, the gentle touch, and the soft voices lulled her into sleep.

Hours passed. Faint whispers floated around her.

"What do you think happened to her?" Bong-gu asked quietly.

"How would I know?" Burgors muttered back.

"Shhh... quiet, she’s sleeping," Hae-in scolded, and silence fell again.

Meanwhile, Sumiko felt the warmth of a soft futon beneath her and a thick blanket covering her frail body. It was completely different from the cold, hard concrete she had been forced to lie on for so long. The soft murmurs of voices around her felt strange, unfamiliar after weeks of silence and loneliness in her cell.

Slowly, her eyelids fluttered open.

"Hey, look! She’s awake!" Hiromi whispered excitedly.

In the dim light of lanterns and flashlights, unfamiliar faces appeared around her, watching her with concern. Her eyes darted from one face to another, then finally settled on one figure as her eyes lit up.

"Brother Jun..." she whispered weakly, a faint, fragile smile tugging at her lips.

Elaine, Isabel, Cindy, and the others looked at Jaxon, noticing the little girl’s gaze and the faint smile she gave him.

"Brother," she murmured again, voice trembling. "Please... please don’t leave me again." Tears slid down her cheeks as she spoke.

"She’s calling out to you. Do something," Elena urged, glancing at Jaxon.

Jaxon froze. For a moment, he didn’t know how to respond. ’She must be mistaking me for someone else... Didn’t she know her brother had already died?’ he thought.

Isabel knelt beside Sumiko and gently pulled her into a comforting hug. "It’s okay, dear. It’s okay. You’re safe here," she murmured, her hands softly caressing Sumiko’s back.

Sumiko clung to Isabel instinctively, letting herself feel comfort for the first time in what seemed like forever. Somehow, in her arms, she felt safe.

Elena turned to Jaxon, her brow furrowed. "What’s going on?"

"I’m not sure," Jaxon whispered, shaking his head. "Perhaps she’s confusing me with her brother."

"Her brother? Is he alive?" Cindy asked.

"No," Jaxon said quietly. "The teenage infected we killed... that was him."

Silence spread through the group. An infected person, family or not, were beyond saving.

"We found her in one of the cells where we killed him," Jaxon continued. "Thinking about it now... something doesn’t add up."

"What do you mean?" Cindy asked, leaning forward.

"How did she survive in that cell all alone?" Jaxon frowned. "When we discovered her, the door was chained and locked. Empty cans, plastic wrappers... someone must have been bringing her food."

"It must have been her brother, Jun, right? The name she keeps whispering," Hae-in said softly.

"And then he got infected while scavenging for her?" Bong-gu added.

"Yeah, maybe," Hae-in replied.

"No." Natasha’s voice cut through the room. Her eyes were fixed on the pistol at her waist, her frown deepening.

Everyone turned to her.

"A single teenage boy couldn’t have kept her fed for weeks," Natasha said, her voice steady but tense. "Not with all the infected and mutations roaming this city."

"Then who was bringing her food?" Haris asked, confusion written across his face.

"It was her brother," Na-rin said quietly, her voice almost a whisper.

"No way," Burgors scoffed. "There’s no way a little boy could just go out and scavenge food in a city like this. Unless he’s faster than me."

"The boy had been infected," Na-rin continued, her mind racing to the only conclusion that made sense. "...and he still kept bringing her food."

"What?" Everyone gasped.

"How is that even possible?" Hannah whispered.

"We found nothing but corpses in the prison," Natasha said, her hands trembling as she gripped the hem of her shirt. "No other people, no other infected alive. Only that boy... and this little girl. And I... I killed him."

Elaine, Hae-in, Claire, and Hannah covered their mouths in shock. It was absurd, tragic, and heartbreaking all at once.

Jaxon stayed silent, remembering the moment they had left the prison. He had glanced back one last time and seen the boy smiling at them, or perhaps at the little girl. But it wasn’t the hollow, eerie grin that usually haunted him. This smile was real, genuine, a quiet relief meant only for her.

Elena’s voice broke the silence. "You saved the girl. Nothing’s wrong with that. You said earlier that infected was attacking the cell where she was. That boy was dangerous. leaving him alive would’ve been asking for trouble."

A heavy quiet fell over the group. Then a soft, trembling voice reached them.

"Jun..." Sumiko, still curled up in Isabel’s arms, whispered the name.

Jaxon’s heart tightened, recalling how much she had cried when her brother died, the fear and helplessness in her eyes. He couldn’t imagine the pain she had endured.

He let out a long sigh and sat beside her, gently smiling. "Hey... what’s your name?"

"Brother... did you already forget?" Sumiko murmured, her voice barely above a whisper.

"Sorry, I did," Jaxon said softly.

"Sumiko."

"Sumiko," he repeated softly. "That’s a nice name."

"Mm... I’ve always been a nice and good little sister."

"You are," Jaxon said with a small smile, reaching out to pat her head lightly. "Rest well, Sumiko. I’ll stay by your side... and I won’t ever leave you again."

"Mm," Sumiko murmured, a smile gracing her lips. She snuggled deeper into Isabel’s arms and drifted back to sleep, finding a moment of peace.

After a long moment, Jaxon turned to the others. "Get some rest. We still have to move tomorrow. You too, Natasha. Don’t overthink it. In the first place, it was me who decided we’d follow and take out that infected kid."

"I..." Natasha started, but Jaxon held up a hand and gently interrupted her.

"You did what had to be done," he spoke. Then his gaze shifted back to Sumiko. "We just have to take responsibility for what’s left behind."

Natasha hesitated, biting her lip, but Cindy reached out and gave her a reassuring squeeze before guiding her away as the others dispersed to rest, preparing for what tomorrow would bring.

Only Isabel and Jaxon remained in the room, quietly sitting by Sumiko’s side. For a long moment, the room was still, the only sound her soft, even breathing. Then Isabel reached out, gently taking Jaxon’s hand.

"You saved her, Jaxon," she said softly. "Don’t blame yourself too much."

Jaxon looked down at her, surprised at the quiet understanding in her eyes. He nodded slowly, squeezing her hand back. Together, they stayed by Sumiko’s side, watching over her as the night stretched on.

.....

Morning came, and the group began preparing for the final push toward the train station.

Jaxon packed the remaining food, clothes, and essential supplies into his storage space, leaving nothing of value behind.

In the living room, the others wrapped hard paper and tape around their hands, reinforcing them. If the infected got too close, they could use it to block bites and protect themselves.

From one of the bedrooms, Isabel knelt beside Jaxon, carefully tying Sumiko to his back with a soft cloth.

"Does this hurt, Sumiko? Or is it too tight?" Isabel asked, her hands gentle as she adjusted the knots.

"Mm," Sumiko gave a small nod. Earlier, the others had tried talking to her, but she hadn’t responded, except to Isabel, who made her feel safe, and to Jaxon, who she still saw as her brother Jun.

Jaxon gave her a soft smile, patting her shoulder. "Sumiko, hold on tight, okay? And when we move, just stay silent."

"Mm, I trust you, Brother," Sumiko whispered, hugging his back. Her body was still weak, barely able to support herself, but even if she could walk, Jaxon would carry her. Her weight wasn’t a problem, not for him.

As Jaxon and Isabel stepped out to meet the group, everyone’s eyes fell on Sumiko, tied securely on Jaxon’s back.

"Good morning, Sumiko. How are you feeling?" Elaine greeted her cheerfully, stepping closer. Hannah and Hae-in followed with warm smiles.

Sumiko didn’t respond. She buried her face into Jaxon’s back, hiding from everyone.

Jaxon chuckled softly. "Sumiko seems a little shy. Give her time."

He then glanced at Natasha, noticing the lingering guilt in her eyes. "It’s okay, Natasha. We’ll apologize to her once she remembers. Together."

Natasha gave a small nod, her gaze lingering on the little girl.

Elena clapped her hands, breaking the quiet. "Alright, everyone. We have to move, or we’ll miss the train."

As the group began climbing out of the bunker, Burgors paused and looked back, a reluctant frown on his face. "This was a good shelter. Shame we have to leave it."

"Then do you want to stay?" Elena asked lightly. "You’re free to do so."

"Of course not," Burgors said with a grin, brushing off the thought. "I’m coming with you guys. After all, I’m the ace of the group."

Some of the girls chuckled, but they too hesitated for a moment. The bunker had been a rare safe haven. Electricity and water aside, it had kept them alive for a week in this chaotic world, a small comfort they didn’t want to leave behind.