The Most Dangerous Game (Alternate Ending)

A Story by Kaden

By Kaden Coates and Christian Kniat. You kinda have to read The Most Dangerous Game first if you want to understand this.

Then he leapt far out into the sea...

General Zaroff walked discouragingly, puffing on a cigar, back towards his chateau. That night, the general ate in sorrow, deeply upset about his first time losing his own game. The general soon wandered off to his chambers.

Rainsford was in the cellars. He found a dozen sailors that were currently imprisoned. As soon as the sailors caught eye of him, they immediately started shouting and asking questions.

"What is this place?" one sailor asked. "Get us out of here!"

"Shhhh", whispered Rainsford.

"Who are you?" asked a sailor.

"I'm Rainsford. Listen, I can answer questions later, but now we need to get out of here before you're hunted like a wild animal!" He struggled with the jail door, then picked up a shovel and smashed the lock. The door swung open and the sailors cautiously walked out. Rainsford led them to the beach, where they found a medium sized sailboat. Being sailors, they immediately went to their positions. As the ship left the bay, Rainsford pointed the bow towards the mainland.

Two weeks later, they approached a harbor in Florida. The sailors hungrily walked off the boat, grumpy from eating small rations they found on the vessel. As the sailors dispersed, Rainsford searched for the nearest law enforcement officer. As soon as he found a police station, he explained to the chief his ordeal on Ship-Trap Island. The officer then contacted the National Guard and they organized a team to be sent to the island and confirm Rainsford's story. Rainsford and the team boarded the ship and, under Rainsford's direction, headed towards Ship-Trap Island.

As they approached the island it was near midnight. They dodged the rocks using Rainsford's guidance and landed on the coast. Trying to be as quiet as possible, they got off the boat and loaded their rifles. As they did so, they saw a light come on in the mansion. Quickly, it went out. The team stormed the mansion. After they cleared the bottom floor, they entered the study and saw several dismembered stuffed human heads, trophies of Zaroff's hunts. Slightly stunned, the team exited the room and came up with a plan to take down General Zaroff. Rainsford knew that he had fled into the jungle, where he would have the advantage. The team headed into the dark forest cautiously.

After hiking for several hours, Rainsford suddenly came to a stop. He sensed that something was not right. Just then, a knife sprang out from a bent back sapling and hit an officer in the chest. He fell down, dead. Rainsford shouted. It was the same trap he had used to kill Ivan. The others mobilized; they had to split up in order to kill Zaroff as fast as they could. Rainsford picked up the fallen soldier's rifle and headed off. He and Zaroff were both hunters, and also both very intelligent. This was going to be a near even match. As he trekked through the jungle, he could hear the screams of the other officers being picked off by Zaroff.

Soon it became silent. Rainsford carefully crept through the underbrush, all of his senses alert. He thought that he picked up movement to his left. He slowly looked in that direction. All was still. At the very last instant, Rainsford knew - behind him! Zaroff tackled him to the ground. The general unsheathed a huge hunting knife and plunged it deep into Rainsford's stomach. Zaroff, the triumphant hunter, loaded his pistol.

"Congratulations, Rainsford. By no means would I ever have expected you to make it this far. It pains me to dispose of such an excellent hunter, but you must understand", the general said as he cocked the gun, "I never lose".

At that moment, a blur ran by and crashed into Zaroff. It was the last remaining officer! Zaroff's pistol flew out of his hands and skidded into the jungle. Zaroff and the officer engaged in intense hand to hand combat. Rainsford's vision was going dark. His eyes wildly darted around until they focused on the knife protruding out of his abdomen.

The general overpowered the officer, and was now choking him to death. Rainsford seized the knife handle and ripped it out. He held back a scream as he experienced extreme pain. Fighting to stay conscious, he gripped the knife and aimed it at General Zaroff.

"Game over."

The knife spun through the air and lodged itself between Zaroff's eyes. He fell off the officer and crumpled into a heap. Rainsford leaned back on the cold earth, and gave in to the darkness.