Chapter 23 - Crawling

Crawling

Junan gestured two of them to stand at each side of the cottage. The old wooden door did not take much effort and a simple kick made it fall with a thud on the brick floor. The broken windows were bringing enough light inside the cottage for them to see its interior. The look of abandonment echoing from each corner. In one secluded corner table and chairs were placed randomly,  matching the store room setting. 

The other corner was stuffed with worn-out clothing and a few daily use items. They walked next placement. 

"What we are supposed to clear in this cottage?" hammer boy was puzzled that everything looked so serene and calm. Nothing in the cottage flamed their suspicions. Except maybe the quiet. 

"Remember our previous interaction and critically observe the walls. If the ground has nothing suspicious then the walls are going to bring trouble." Junan was still apprehensive as a player should be.

A savagely threaded rug was torn and scattered in pieces on the ground. They did not give much attention to it. Their eyes were trying to find a hovel and something suspicious on the wall. The wall was home to nothing other than few wall paintings and shadow portraits. Sashi was about to point out something when she saw the team head was moving toward another placement. 

She was afraid that the other team members would stare her down for no reason if she again pointed at a cute object that was lying at the corner. She walked behind the team and could not see that the cute object was no more there. 

Only it wasn't an object but rather a chameleon. 

Sashi caught it looking at the team however none noticed. She was unable to fully enjoy its presence due to the dim light inside. 

In the third placement, there were few plants and pots definitely dried out or no more in viable condition. They again took a look at the wall and there was nothing noticeable. 

"I think we should shuffle the garbage scattered on the ground and then move onto the painting. If we can not find anything then we will move out." Junan was done surveying the cottage. 

Time was ticking constantly and it reminded them they cannot waste much time on the mere cottage. 

"Then we can start from here," Orin suggested. They looked at the plants and the pots. 

"Do not use hands instead use weapons for shuffling," Junan advised wisely.

All of them went separate ways, on the mission to unveil the hideous enemies. Orin checked the paintings and the walls poking them sparingly with a spear. Junan stabbed his sword in the pot and a chameleon immediately attacked him. 

He was taken aback by the sudden encounter. It was so close. With this, all the broken and rugged things on the floor sprang to life and pounced on them. Sashi barely made it away from the sharp teeth. She was near a plant, observing the differences and atrocious irregularities among the same plant. 

They got alert and whipped out their weapons. Most of the things that looked like plain old household items were actually ogres hiding. The door of the third placement shut off igniting their flight or fight instinct.

There was only one open window at the left. 

"These creepy overconfident creatures should know who we are." Junan gritted his teeth. He was stunned by how smartly these creatures were hiding in front of them. If it was not for the weapons they had chosen to search with, they would have bitten off their arms during the search. 

"Do these nerds want to make it dramatic?" Orin heard the thud of the door and commented. The chameleon ogres snared around them aiming to not let go single one of them. 

"I have seen more shameless creatures than you." Sashi glared at the chameleon. 

It was slowly crawling toward her. She tried to injure the ogre with her weapon however the ogre escaped. 

The third placement was similar of the room. 

"Everyone is responsible in this situation. Do not let the creatures poison you." Junan hurriedly killed the chameleon attacking him directly. It was a bigger one as compared to the rest. They were actively killing the ogres when suddenly the broken window shook and the hidden slaves entered inside. Those cunning fools had been hiding in the backyard. 

"See, the opportunists showed up." As soon as Junan pointed Jake started firing endless bullets. The slaves could not make it alive inside the placement. Some remain hung on the broken window when others saw that the players were active they remained hidden waiting for another chance. 

It was an order from the team head for the young player. Jake was supposed to take care if someone tried to intrude their clearing task. The ground amassed with the dead ogres. Junan seeing that the other players were busy killing the last few; went to break the door open. 

"Be ready for some fine quality entertainment." Junan winked at his team members. 

They were all now free after killing the last few. Jake had his eyes stuck at the window. One of the slaves tried to sneak and take a look at the situation however Jake fired the bullet aiming for its eye and Boom it went.                      

This restricted the other slaves for a bit. 

"I think the backyard is filled with the ogres. They are constantly sneaking." Jake informed the team head. 

"We will clear backyard after the remaining two placements. Till then you will keep a strict look out on the windows." Junan ordered. Since they were already inside the cottage it was better to clear it first. 

After this, they would surround the backyard not letting a single one of them escape. Jake understood and did not stand directly in the view instead he stayed hidden, shrewdly. If the creatures tried to sneak in they would not be able to spot him immediately. 

This idea worked. When others were clearing the second placement; Jake was killing those slaves. Whenever they tried to enter inside from the window, unknown bullets came blasting their body parts away.

Half of them got killed in their ignorance. Jake was hiding behind the door. He could hear the weapons slashing the ogres and the team head giving instructions. 

"Jake we are done here. Take your position in the second placement." Junan said. 

Jake heard it and came out closing the door behind. The dead and hanging bodies of the creatures were enough to scare others. There was another window in the second placement. All three placements were joined.