an exploding , spilling , tumbling , churning flood of fire looking for all the world like the rushing river beside it comes whooshing out of the u-shaped thing , way bigger than looks possible , expanding and growing and eating the world like a nightmare- coming right for mr hammar- who pulls his horse hard to the right- leaping outta the way- but too late- the fire swoops round him- sticking to mr hammar and his horse like a coating- and they 're burning burning burning as they try to ride away from it- riding straight for the river- but mr hammar do n't make it- he falls from the burning saddle of his burning horse- hitting the ground in a jerking pile of flame- then lying still as his horse disappears into the water- screaming and screaming- i turn my eyes back to the army- and see that the men on the front line do n't got horses that 'll carry 'em outta the way- and the fire- thicker than normal fire- thicker and heavier- cuts thru 'em like a rockslide- eating the first ten men it touches- burning 'em up so fast you can barely hear 'em scream- and they 're the lucky ones- cuz the fire spreads out- sticking to the uniforms and the hair- and the skin- and my god the skin of the frontline soldiers off to each side- and they fall- and they burn- and they scream like mr hammar 's horse- and they keep on screaming- their noise rocketing up and out over the noise of everything else- and as the blast of fire finally dissipates and mr morgan is yelling `` fall back ! ''