The dank forest loomed over Rainsford's head with the stench of humidity and mulch polluting his nostrils. The sun hid behind a dense fog that caked the sky in grey. Rainsford's sprint slowed to a crawl as he doubled over from exhaustion. He took the deepest breaths of his life, holding his chest and taking in the musty air. The forest was abnormally still, the tree leaves waving calmly in the wind. Rainsford knew that he had little time before Zaroff, the giant, and their army of savage dogs would catch him and have him as a midday snack. He was forced to devise a plan.
The hunter scanned the area; to one side of the overgrowth lay a path that led to a narrowing tunnel with a glint of blueish iridescence at the end. On the other side, a dark, densely entangled mess of vines and shrubbery surrounded a pit of deadly quicksand. Rainsford set to work. He removed his shoes and set down the darker path. Carefully prodding against the wet sand on his bare feet, Rainsford took to making false shoes prints on the ground so as to lead to a trap. He tossed the pair in the sand, hoping his scent would lead the hounds to their demise. He grabbed a handful of earth and rubbed himself from head to toe with it in order to blend in with the surrounding odor. Rainsford returned to the intersection and explored the light at the end of the tunnel.
Before him was a rocky cliffside surrounded by a gargantuan salty sea that bellowed with the crashes of teal-green waves upon the sandy shore below. The birds had long retreated to their nests and even the hungriest mosquitoes had ended their prowl. Rainsford was surrounded by old, dying trees that looked as if they had met their and barely escaped the grasps of death. The trunks were stressed and creaked with cries for mercy. Rainsford grabbed hold onto a remotely sharp stick and began whacking at the base of a hefty tree near the mouth of the overgrowth tunnel.
He planned to release the tree upon Zaroff and the larger Cossack's heads as they entered. Thus, Rainsford would win the general's dirty game, and he could return to safety.
The hunter's fantasies were interrupted by the distant hum of dogs' snarls and howls. Startled but determined to keep his nerve, Rains ford hid in the depths of an entanglement of shrubs next to the massive oak. The waiting game began.
"...somewhere around here, " the general's distant voice echoed through the tunnel and rang in Rainsford's ears. Zaroff’s footsteps led away from the opening and back in the direction of the trap. Rainsford would have cheered but he dared not risk making a single sound. A few moments felt like hours while Rainsford waited for the trap to work. Then, a cacophony of screeches, bickering, yelling, yelps, and howls shook the forest to the peak of the highest tree. A dead silence overtook the area.
"Two less, hah!" Zaroff exclaimed with a forced laugh. "I suppose it is just you and I, Ivan. Just you and I. "The heavier Cossack did not respond with words, but a timid agreement. Rains ford positioned himself so he was not visible but he could still reach the second trap. He listened intently at the steady pace of the two men's footsteps. One light step, followed by a heavy step, followed by a light step, followed by a heavy step, every few seconds, showed that they were nearing.
Rainsford counted down. Three. Two. One...
"Ivan!"
The tree landed with a crunch. The surrounding trees shuddered with the impact, and dust flew from the underbrush, forming a cloud between the general and the hunter. A horrifying stain of red dotted the ground and the side of the tree trunk. Rainsford forced himself to look in the general's eyes.
"And you say you are no murderer," Zaroff said flatly. He twiddled his revolver between his thumb and forefinger. He loaded the cartridge in a swift movement of his wrist.
"It truly has been a pleasure knowing you, Mr. Rainsford," Zaroff chuckled. "I reign victorious."
In an instant, Rainsford had acquired his sharpened stake and charged at Zaroff. With no chance to reload or move away, the stick jabbed harshly into Zaroff's chest cavity. The bleeding general shakily dropped his weapon and grabbed onto Rainsford's collar with one good hand. The other battled in a desperate attempt to remove the stake. Both men tried to disarm the other while sliding on the rocky hillside. In another instant, Rainsford had slipped. In another, they tumbled.
In another, they splashed, the glistening blue seas engulfing the both of them perpetually.
The forest was silent.
The hunter scanned the area; to one side of the overgrowth lay a path that led to a narrowing tunnel with a glint of blueish iridescence at the end. On the other side, a dark, densely entangled mess of vines and shrubbery surrounded a pit of deadly quicksand. Rainsford set to work. He removed his shoes and set down the darker path. Carefully prodding against the wet sand on his bare feet, Rainsford took to making false shoes prints on the ground so as to lead to a trap. He tossed the pair in the sand, hoping his scent would lead the hounds to their demise. He grabbed a handful of earth and rubbed himself from head to toe with it in order to blend in with the surrounding odor. Rainsford returned to the intersection and explored the light at the end of the tunnel.
Before him was a rocky cliffside surrounded by a gargantuan salty sea that bellowed with the crashes of teal-green waves upon the sandy shore below. The birds had long retreated to their nests and even the hungriest mosquitoes had ended their prowl. Rainsford was surrounded by old, dying trees that looked as if they had met their and barely escaped the grasps of death. The trunks were stressed and creaked with cries for mercy. Rainsford grabbed hold onto a remotely sharp stick and began whacking at the base of a hefty tree near the mouth of the overgrowth tunnel.
He planned to release the tree upon Zaroff and the larger Cossack's heads as they entered. Thus, Rainsford would win the general's dirty game, and he could return to safety.
The hunter's fantasies were interrupted by the distant hum of dogs' snarls and howls. Startled but determined to keep his nerve, Rains ford hid in the depths of an entanglement of shrubs next to the massive oak. The waiting game began.
"...somewhere around here, " the general's distant voice echoed through the tunnel and rang in Rainsford's ears. Zaroff’s footsteps led away from the opening and back in the direction of the trap. Rainsford would have cheered but he dared not risk making a single sound. A few moments felt like hours while Rainsford waited for the trap to work. Then, a cacophony of screeches, bickering, yelling, yelps, and howls shook the forest to the peak of the highest tree. A dead silence overtook the area.
"Two less, hah!" Zaroff exclaimed with a forced laugh. "I suppose it is just you and I, Ivan. Just you and I. "The heavier Cossack did not respond with words, but a timid agreement. Rains ford positioned himself so he was not visible but he could still reach the second trap. He listened intently at the steady pace of the two men's footsteps. One light step, followed by a heavy step, followed by a light step, followed by a heavy step, every few seconds, showed that they were nearing.
Rainsford counted down. Three. Two. One...
"Ivan!"
The tree landed with a crunch. The surrounding trees shuddered with the impact, and dust flew from the underbrush, forming a cloud between the general and the hunter. A horrifying stain of red dotted the ground and the side of the tree trunk. Rainsford forced himself to look in the general's eyes.
"And you say you are no murderer," Zaroff said flatly. He twiddled his revolver between his thumb and forefinger. He loaded the cartridge in a swift movement of his wrist.
"It truly has been a pleasure knowing you, Mr. Rainsford," Zaroff chuckled. "I reign victorious."
In an instant, Rainsford had acquired his sharpened stake and charged at Zaroff. With no chance to reload or move away, the stick jabbed harshly into Zaroff's chest cavity. The bleeding general shakily dropped his weapon and grabbed onto Rainsford's collar with one good hand. The other battled in a desperate attempt to remove the stake. Both men tried to disarm the other while sliding on the rocky hillside. In another instant, Rainsford had slipped. In another, they tumbled.
In another, they splashed, the glistening blue seas engulfing the both of them perpetually.
The forest was silent.