Rainsford faces contrasting situations both externally and internally. He is challenged by General Zaroff to a manhunt under certain terms: if Rainsford wins, he is granted the wish to leave, but if General Zaroff finds him during the three-day period, he dies. Additionally, Ship Trap Island's menacing quicksand, swamps, and dense jungle present other natural obstacles for Rainsford. At the height of the manhunt, Rainsford assures himself that he will have to maintain his poise: “I will not lose my courage. I will not." His mental struggle begins when General Zaroff walks through a bush and smiles, recognizing the presence of his prey under the leaves. Commercial fiction includes many bits of suspense in a story. For example, Connell begins