My Sniper System in a Zombie Apocalypse World-Chapter 60: Forward, Even Now

As they climbed down the ladder, Jaxon glanced up. His eyes widened when he saw the manhole cover sealed shut above them. He had already summoned his rifle, ready to continue fighting, but if the cover was closed, then it meant only one thing.

It was Lucas.

Jaxon’s grip tightened around the rifle until his knuckles went pale. Everything was fucked up. Since the moment he had been separated from his family, he had felt every kind of emotion a single day could give. Fear, anger, loneliness, hope, and loss, all crashing together without pause.

Elaine had said they would not blame him if anyone died. But guilt did not listen to reason. He still felt responsible. The kid had trusted him with his life.

His mind tried to reason that most of them had made it out alive, that this was the best outcome they could hope for. Still, the feeling would not fade. The weight remained, heavy and cruel. The weight of another person’s life gnawed at him.

They reached the bottom of the ladder. The others were already there, waiting in the dark. Only Na-rin’s flashlight lit the narrow space beneath the ground.

When the light fell on Jaxon and Bong-gu, the group fell silent.

One person was missing.

Bong-gu was shaking, his face soaked with tears. The looks on their faces said everything.

Elaine stepped forward, voice trembling. "Where’s Lucas?" She already knew, but still clung to a shred of hope.

Jaxon stayed silent for a moment, then shook his head slowly.

Elaine covered her mouth, her shoulders trembling as she fought back a sob. Na-rin, Ryan, and Claire stood frozen, shock clear on their faces. Hae-in turned away, wiping at her eyes again and again.

"He was fearless in his own way... even afraid, he stood against them... because of him, we survived."

"Did he... say anything?" Elaine whispered, her voice barely audible.

"Mm," Jaxon said. "Until the very end, he told me to save all of you."

"Lucas..." Bong-gu’s sobs grew louder, breaking through the heavy silence. Elaine moved to his side, rubbing his back, holding him as his body shook. Na-rin and Claire closed their eyes, refusing to let their tears fall. No one spoke for a long while, only Bong-gu’s sobs filled the darkness.

They were alive. But they felt empty.

Jaxon clenched his jaw, forcing himself to stay steady. "We can’t stay here," he said quietly. "This place isn’t safe."

The group remained frozen, weighed down by grief and exhaustion, but Jaxon kept moving. One thought pushed him forward above all else, he had to reunite with his family.

After a few long, silent minutes, Jaxon quietly slipped from the group to purchase another flashlight, careful not to let anyone notice. Then he walked over to Na-rin, who was supporting Hae-in on her shoulder.

"I’ll carry her," he said in a low voice, despite the exhaustion etched on his face.

"You seem tired... I..." Na-rin started, concern in her voice.

"I’m fine. It’ll be harder for you," Jaxon interrupted gently. "We still have a long way to go." She nodded and let him lift Hae-in onto his back.

"Sorry," Hae-in muttered quietly, burying her face in his shoulder.

"Mm. Don’t worry. You’re light," he replied, giving her a faint, reassuring smile. He didn’t know why, but he felt more responsible for them now, maybe it was Lucas’s words lingering in his mind, or the fact that they had survived together. Whatever it was, he didn’t mind it.

The group started moving again, each step echoing through the narrow tunnels. The tight corners and stench of the underground pressed down on them, heavy and suffocating, but they pressed forward in silence, following Jaxon through the darkness.

...

An hour later, after trudging through the suffocating tunnels...

BAM. BAM. BAM.

The manhole cover burst open, and Jaxon peeked his head out, scanning the area for any sign of infected. The sky was already brightening, and the area seemed empty.

Still, he stayed crouched for a moment, letting his gaze sweep every corner, making absolutely sure. Maybe it was the memory of what had happened to Lucas, or maybe he had just grown paranoid from everything they had survived.

"It’s clear. This area should be fine," he said quietly, then called down to the others. One by one, they began climbing up, pulling themselves out of the manhole. Jaxon went back to help Hae-in, carefully lifting her out.

"Ugh... that was so unbearable," Hae-in groaned, wiping the stench from her face. The others muttered their agreement, though Jaxon had grown used to it, just a little.

"Next time, maybe try finding us a better escape route, Mister..." Hae-in attempted a light joke. But her smile faded quickly when she realized how foolish it sounded.

Jaxon crouched beside them for a moment, then smirked lightly. "You’re right. Maybe next time, we should just fly out."

Hae-in blinked at him, caught off guard. He rarely joked with them. Slowly, a smile spread across her face, this side of him wasn’t so bad.

"Anyway, let’s focus on finding a shelter first. We can’t stay out in the open."

The group nodded silently and followed him, moving carefully down the empty streets.

They passed rows of buildings, avoiding the tall ones that could hide dangers. Finally, they came across a small two-story hotel. It wasn’t grand, but it was easier to secure. If there were any infected inside, they wouldn’t have many places to hide.

Once inside, the group worked quickly, blocking doors and windows as best they could. Slowly, a small sense of relief settled over them. After the long, grueling escape, they finally had a place that felt even a little safe.

"We made it," Elaine said, trying to lift the mood. "Finally out of that school. This place isn’t much, but compared to the classroom... it’s a palace. Maybe there’s food here too. And now, we can rest."

Hae-in forced a smile, then her eyes lit up. "Oh right, a bath! We can finally have a bath," she said, cheerfully enough to make the others look up from their exhaustion.

"You all go ahead. I’ll keep watch," Jaxon said. "Make sure someone switches with me after you’re done."

"All right, Mister. We’ll be quick," Hae-in replied, as Jaxon carefully lowered her to the floor. Elaine had already found ice and was gently pressing it against Hae-in’s strained leg.