Another hour of walk later, they reached infront of a desolated house. The house smelled of rotten flesh. Waylon and Barry were unaffected, but it was stinging Roderick’s nostrils.
Waylon knocked six times on his door.
“Waylon?” the hoarse voice came from inside.
“Yes.” Waylon said.
Roderick heard splattering coming towards the door. When his friend opened the door, he realized the sound was his tramps. The sound did not amaze him when he saw how he looked like.
Calling him a man was senseless. He could get a pass as an alien in the modern world.
The figure was four feet tall, which had nine eyes on its head blinking one at a time. Mouth was absent in its head but was present in its palms. Roderick saw giant skin ears dangling on both sides.
“Get in.” it said and flapped those ears, elevating it from the ground.
Roderick also walked behind the creature. He had no expectations with beings which flew by its ears.
“Ptuhy.” Waylon called him, “Where did Tafadzwa take the other cryptographer?”
Pthuy showed its palm and Barry dropped a coin in it. Pthuy did not eat it but held it by its fingers. It kept thinking like it was searching for the answer.
Roderick had his interest in Pthuy’s eyes. He was the first one to see them expand.
“Where is he?” Barry asked the same question.
“Tafadzwa will be here any second.” Pthuy whispered in fear, “Hide.”
The house was big enough for them to hide. Roderick climbed stairs and went to attic. Waylon hid in the room upstairs while Tafadzwa’s people were climbing down from their jeeps. And for Barry, he found himself in the basement for the second occasion. He could hear footsteps of people on the ceiling.
“Where is Waylon?” Tafadzwa asked Pthuy.
“I don’t know.” Pthuy said.
“It was the least I expected to hear from you.” Tafadzwa said and looked at his henchmen, “Put the guns down. Pthuy is scared.”
Those men lowered their guns, but it did not comfort Pthuy.
“Where is Waylon?” Tafadzwa asked again.
