The hammer fell painfully slow, leisurely striking the flint, which then ignited the powder; and only after all that, did it finally resume its normal speed. The weapon forcefully expelled the deadly, little black ball. Even before it left the barrel, I knew I’d missed my target. It sped down the alleyway but not far enough. The ball blasted into a side wall, in front of the charging horse. However, despite my poor aim, the shot still devastated the soldiers. Fragments of rock and mortar peppered the horse’s head. The deafening roar and smoke from the black powder proved too much for the poor creature. It slid to a stop and reared up in terror, tossing its head and very nearly its rider. The soldier dropped his sword and desperately clung to the saddle in an effort to avoid falling off and possibly under the hooves of the panicked animal. With no time to stop, the second mount charged straight into the hindquarters of the still rearing lead horse, causing its master to launch over its neck and into the front horseman.
