Pandemonium
A.N. Just something that I worked on for my English class. It's set during the Great
Dragon's attack and is from Merlin's point of view.
The deafening thunder of footsteps forces its way into his ears, invading his mind; making him spin in confusion. Blurs of red and gold rush past him; barrelling into him, forcing him backwards, causing him to lose his balance, colliding painfully with the wall. The almighty roar of an explosion causes him to regain his feet, pelting towards the source of the noise.
Screams and shouts invade his mind, causing him to stop. The rush of heat hits him with all the subtlety of a steamroller. Great plumes of fire reach their hands up towards the sky, desperately trying to stroke it. They stretch their fiery limbs out towards him, reaching for him, trying to grab at his clothes to drag him into their burning depths.
He glances up. His breathing quickens. He flees the area.
A blood-curdling scream erupts in his ear, closely followed by another, then another! The thundering beat of footsteps underline the piercing melody of screams, creating a grotesque symphony in his ears.
The coppery tang of blood permeates the air, coating his tongue, making him gag in horror and disgust. The unmistakeable stench of burning flesh forces its way into his The smell of burnt liver lies underneath it, tainting it, turning it into a mesh of charcoal, liver and an unmistakeable sweet scent.
He glances around, drinking in the scene of complete and utter chaos! Women screaming as they are burned by the flames: their beautiful clothing turning a disgusting black. The once gorgeous dresses of the ladies of the court shrivelling up.
Blurs of red and gold catch his eye as the Knights of Camelot rush past. The tell-tale glint of sun-kissed gold signals the arrival of the Crown Prince, Arthur Pendragon. His once handsome face smeared with soot, trickles of blood winding their way down his once pristine face.
A burst of orange illuminates the scene, tainting it with an orange hue, making everything more grotesque: more horrific. Mangled bodies litter the courtyard, forming a crude pattern, as though drawn by a child. Fires rage, scorching anything in their path. Children zigzag between the fires – screaming, crying out for their parents. Women sit on the cobbles crying out for their children – begging, pleading for them to come back. Men stand around – listlessly staring at the fires where their wives perished, eyes glazed over in shock.
Tendrils of smoke curl up towards the night sky, almost lazily. Completely in contrast with the scene taking place below it. The sky is as clear as crystal, completely calm. The stars are out in full force, watching over the pandemonium and destruction below.
The scrape of cobbles against his flesh brings him back to the chaos. Warm blood oozes down his hands, pooling in his palms, winding trails down his wrists, staining his skin pink, a constant reminder of the destruction.
He glances up and watches as women tear past him - screeching - their dresses on fire. The red cloaks of the Knights shrivelling up at the ends, darkening to become black as coal.
He glances up. His breathing quickens. He flees the area.
Shouts arise around him, the thundering of hundreds of footsteps meshing together to create a sickening melody; agonised screams of women as their skin burns, the dull thud of men dropping to the ground, the fire consuming their bodies, terrified cries of children as they watch their parents drop to the ground, raging fires consuming their remains, drowning out their death cries.
He turns to survey the chaos behind him. A swirling torrent takes over his vision, rushing its way towards him, columns of fire emerging out of the swarm.
He pivots. He pelts towards his prince.
"MERLIN!"
A.N. Please tell me what you think. Constructive criticism is always welcome! Especially
on my punctuation! xxx