PRESENTATION OUTLINE
Cold, gray light filled the room.
Rainsford awoke. It took him a moment to remember where he was, how he got there. That's when it hit him. "I... I have won..."
he whispered.
Memories of the past few days swirled in his mind, and Zaroff's words echoed.
Rainsford shook his head. He was safe. What could possibly happen?
He climbed out of the huge bed and stretched.
The chateau was deathly quiet. He decided to explore the house and see what mysteries were hidden inside.
After walking down the stairs, he wandered down the long hallway that led from the grand living room.
On a table, he saw a handgun. Knowing he felt safer with a weapon, he picked up the gun and tucked it into his waistband.
At the end of the hallway to his left, he noticed a plain, black door that stood out from the ornate furnishings of the house.
Curious, he walked toward it.
His footsteps rang as he walked on the marble floor, the only noise to be heard.
The hair on the back of his neck stood as he got a sudden wave of chills. As pretty as the house was, it definitely had a creepy atmosphere, especially with no other people in the house. It felt ominous, like something was going to happen soon. Very soon.
When he reached the door, he grabbed the handle and turned it. The door creaked open to reveal a large, lab-like room.
He flipped on the switch, and large, white lights flickered on. All around he saw test tubes, serums, syringes, jars, bottles, all sorts of different colored liquids.
He frowned slightly. Zaroff didn't seem like the kind of man who would spend his time in a lab mixing chemicals.
He shrugged the thought off and began examining different things.
A bright green bottle sitting on the table in the back of the room caught his eye.
He walked over and read the label. "Excitare Bacteria," he read aloud.
He immediately knew it meant something in Latin. "Excitare, excitare, excitare," he mumbled, trying to remember.
Then it clicked. "Awaken Bacteria? What on Earth does that mean?"
Rainsford then noticed a syringe lying on the table, a small amount of green liquid residing in it.
Rainsford decided it would be best to not touch anything more and exit the room, for who knows what sort of chemicals were in there. He left the room and began closing the door.
He stilled. Was he hearing things?
No, he wasn't. Someone was knocking at the front doors.
The way the loud, precise knocking filled the room unnerved Rainsford. He swallowed, debating what to do.
He found himself standing at the front door. He opened it.
He was shocked. He wanted to scream, to cry, to do something, but his surprise choked him of any noise.
Standing before him was the man of his nightmares, an evil, evil man whom he thought had died.
Standing in the fog, right on the doorstep, was General Zaroff.
The General's appearance was gruesome. He stood hunched, his head rolled to one side. He was missing chunks of clothes and flesh. Half of his right foot and left hand was missing. He was a pale white, his clothes and limbs bloodied.
But staring into Rainsford's soul were those same black eyes. And those same pointed teeth flashed at him.
"Rainsford, old chap. I would like to congratulate you on your victory. It seems like you won the game."
"But...how? How are you still alive?"
"Ah, I was somewhat fortunate for not losing my life, though it pains me to say I have no more hounds."
Rainsford's mouth fell open.
"Oh, stop your surprise Mr. Rainsford, it was the only thing I could do."
"And what was that only thing you could do?"
"Kill them off, one by one."
"I don't understand how you survived though. There was a whole pack of vicious, merciless hounds. Wouldn't you have bled to death, or caught an infection, or..."
Rainsford paused, piecing it together. Zaroff smiled as Rainsford's eyes widened.
"Veerrryy good, Rainsford. You see, that bacteria you apparently discovered was invented by a doctor I paid. See, Rainsford, the bacteria keeps you from remaining dead. You could say it awakens you."
Rainsford was horrified as he realized that standing before him was a zombie Zaroff, not dead and not alive.
"Now quit your blundering and let's see who wins this game, once and for all."
Rainsford shook his head.
"I'm afraid we already have a winner."
He pulled out his gun and shot Zaroff in the chest.
Rainsford walked among the misty trees, trying to calm himself.
Seeing Zaroff again got his nerves out of whack. He couldn't stop shaking. His breathing was fast and shallow.
"It's over now, he's gone, he has to be."
He continued walking through the fog, unaware of the many black, undead hounds watching him.
And among those hounds stood a man with a bullet in his heart.
"Are you sure you've won, Mr. Rainsford?" he whispered.
