The Innocent Criminal

            “All rise for Judge Madock,” the court clerk bellowed into the room. I was called to the stand where I swore to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth at which point Judge Madock asked, “Mr. Rainsford you are accused of double murder how do you plead?” I plead innocent your honor.  My lawyer came up to stand in front of me. “Mr. Rainsford, could you please describe your days at Ship-Trap Island, and how you got there?”

***

            “I was sailing my yacht when I heard a gunshot, fired from the direction of Ship-Trap Island.  Leaning over the rail for a better view, I dropped my pipe and reaching for it, fell overboard. My crewmen couldn't hear my cries of man over board. After swimming for what felt like ages, I heard another gunshot. Gun fire meant people and people meant land so I swam towards the general direction of Ship-Trap Island.- In hindsight, I wish I would have drowned right there and then. When I reached land I was exhausted and soon fell asleep in the wilderness to awake with my wits about me. I searched and searched for a trail. Eventually coming across boot prints which lead me to a spot of ground where blood had been shed everywhere and a fairly massive animal about the size of myself had been shot. I proceeded to follow the boots’ trail right to General Zarof's mansion and I was met there by Ivan.

Ivan was a huge Cossack with a massive beard down to his waist, and in greeting he pointed a pistol at my face. General Zarof later explained that Ivan was both deaf and dumb and began to tell me about his new “game”.  He thought he was a god appointed hunter and therefore he said to me, “Life is for the strong, to be lived by the strong, and if needs be, taken by the strong.”  These words chilled me to the bone and peaked my defenses.  I realized in this moment that he was talking about murder and knew that I needed to get out of there quickly. He explained how each participant in this game had the choice of either being hunted, or falling into Ivan’s hands.  Ivan; ex-knouter for the Great White Tsar trained in whipping criminals, often until their death.

That night I lay down on my bed, but I couldn't sleep. I got up and attempted to open the door, but it was locked. My window was high up and there were dogs in the courtyard below. The following afternoon I told General Zarof that I wished to leave the island at once, but he protested and said, “You’ve only just come.”  He referred to his game as outdoor chess.” 

Here, I paused to sip my water.  There was terror in my eyes as I looked to the jury.   My attorney summarized for the jury the account I had relayed to him in our previous interviews.  “Rainsford had fought his way through the bush for two hours.  “I must keep my nerve, I must keep my nerve”  he said through tight teeth.  He had not been entirely clearheaded when the Chateau gate shut behind him.  His whole idea at first was to put distance between himself and General Zarof, and, to this end, he had plunged along, spurred on by the sharp rowels of something very like panic.  Mr. Rainsford was terrorized and with the adrenaline pumping through his body, behaved in an insane manner.  At this point I collected myself and continued on with my recounting.  

 “This is when Ivan supplied me with three days worth of food, clothing, and one hunting knife. I fell out of my mind, thrashing through the bushes but from a survival instinct, I mustered up all of the foxes tricks to evade his hunters. I backtracked and did intricate loops, but to no avail. That night General Zarof found the tree I was hiding in. He looked up smiled and walked away.  The second day I built the first of my three traps, a Malay man catcher designed to kill a man but he was agile enough and evaded it. -You must know that this was all done in self-defense I had no where to go and by the General’s own admittance, it was kill or be killed. - He went home to have his small shoulder wound bandaged. At this point I was desperate; I was beyond desperate into the world of insane. I found myself in a swamp and knew this had quicksand; I actually almost got sucked in. My second trap was the Burmese tiger pit; however one of the General's dogs fell into it instead of him. The General left once more wanting to savor the hunt for another day. On the third day he brought Ivan and the entire pack. My last and final trick was the Uganda knife trick. I was half delirious from exhaustion and anxiety, but I fashioned it all right. It did injure one of them, I think it was Ivan, but I didn't stop to check it out.

The pack was still upon me, there was no where to go. I was standing near a cliff with the dogs surrounding me. They were still a ways off, but they would be close soon. So I jumped, you know that sensation that you feel in your dreams of falling? It was like that, only at the end a slap of cool water crashed upon me. I couldn't get to the main island, and I was forced to go back to the mansion for food. I figured General Zarof would take awhile to get home. So I snuck into the great house, but as I was looting for some food General Zarof arrived home. I had the upper hand of surprise, so I took it.  I had to kill him, or else he would have killed me. I felt sick for taking a human life, but I kept reminding myself that it was all in self-defense. I spiraled down into depression.

In the room in the highest tower I opened the window wide. Standing on the sill and looking down at the brick patio prepared to take my life. Heaven would be a better place.  Closing my eyes lightly I could feel the breeze swaying me back and forth. A girl’s voice softly said, “It's no fun to hunt if the quarry dies from anxiety.” I whirled around losing my balance and tumbled back inside. My lips curved into a smile when I saw her. “You look just like your father,” I commented way more calmly than I felt. She laughed as she crossed the room to the window sill. She closed the shutters tight and locked them. Her smile lit up her petite face as she kept her pistol aimed at my heart. I readied myself for the blow as she backed toward the door. “Goodbye, Mr. Rainsford,” The girl said politely then walked out of the room. I heard the lock click behind her. The shutters of the window were thick wood reinforced with steel and there was no way the door would budge. I paced the room for two hours, but finally sat down. My mind dug inside itself. I could feel the seconds ticking by. The room and I merged together. I was a desk sitting on the faded carpet, or a picture hanging upon the starch white backdrop of the wall. I screamed, shouted, cried, and whispered to myself. I admit that this was insane behavior, but that is what happened. Whitney must have called search and rescue because I was awoken from one of my many black-outs by five men coming in and checking my vitals. I was put onto a speed boat and whisked away to here.” I finished up gesturing to the court room. My lawyer thanked me and stated, “We plead innocent of murder.  This was clearly self-defense, combined with temporary insanity.”