I cannot believe that I was bested by Rainsford with his silly trap. I should have known better.

I
have let down the General. Better to die than to see the disappointment on his face for my failure. I hope my dogs
are okay. It is all like a dream now. I remember when I first saw my would-be assassin. There was such fear in
his eyes as I held the gun on him. He was so pitiful, not knowing if I would shoot him or not. However, I must
give him credit. Others have screamed or run away, but he held his ground. Perhaps I should have been more
wary of him and his cool persona. But it is too late now. Obviously I underestimated our foe. Once the hunt
began it became like all the others. Then Rainsford set that trap and murdered one of my dogs. I hated Rainsford
for killing one of my precious pack of beauties. Maybe that is why I let my guard down. My anger got the better
of me.

It has been a good life for me. After all, what kind of life could I have had if the General had not found me,
being deaf and dumb as I was. He found my aptitude for getting the job done, particularly the more distasteful
ones, although they weren’t distasteful to me. So many times I managed to convince those who did not want to
participate about the value of the game. The others…well…let’s say the dogs had a good dinner those nights.
General Zaroff was like a surrogate father to me. He was my role model. I would have done anything for him.
And I never let him down, that is, until now.

I didn’t understand why the General was so fascinated by Rainsford. He didn’t seem that special to me. He
was just like all the others, prey for us, the hunters. He was so outraged by the General’s new game. What a
simpleton. He did not understand the magnitude of what my master had discovered. After all, that is what great
hunters do, they look for the new challenges, and when they do not appear on their own, then they create them for
themselves. The General was a genius. How dare Rainsford question the morality of my mentor. A person must
always strive to improve themselves. And I, lucky beyond measure, had been given the great privilege of being
allowed to participate in the world’s greatest hunt of all. My master’s greatest achievement.

My job was simple. I helped General Zaroff with the hunt and convinced those who came here to
participate. I trained my dogs well to search out the prey for my master. Everything was going so well. My
master was growing bored, and then Rainsford came and he became excited about the hunt again. Everytime
Rainsford managed to surprise him with a new trap it filled him with renewed vigour. Now I will not have the
pleasure of seeing that victorious grin on the General’s face. But no matter. He will win. He is General Zaroff,
the world’s greatest hunter. It is not in him to be anything less. Rainsford will soon be no more. Goodbye
General. It was a good life.