The King's Cook

I stopped stirring the King's pudding long enough to hear it. The screaming grew louder and louder, wailing deep into my eardrums. I winced as I set down the bowl and headed outside to see what the commotion was about.
The crackling  noise sent a fear down my spine before my eyes reached the door, knowing. I placed my shaking hand on the doorknob, not surprised to find it hot.
I knew what was on the other side of the door. I knew what was crackling and causing all of the screams. I knew, and I was terrified. I felt my knees shaking as my breath caught in my chest, but I twisted the knob anyway.
I saw a group of townspeople huddled together in the distance, bodies scattered before them as they screamed in my direction. The kitchen shook as a large scaly tail slithered before me, smacking against the wall. Within seconds I saw the creature's head lower, inches in front me, releasing flames so hot that I could see colors swirling in the middle. The people screamed again, frantic as the flames licked towards their feet.
My mind raced as I saw images flashing deep in the dragon's eyes. The iridescent scales caught the sunlight, blinding me for just a moment. When my sight returned, the dragon was no longer in my view. I looked to the townspeople who were gazing up to the sky, shaking.
I ran into the kitchen, grabbed a pot and spoon and headed out into the chaos. My legs had a mind of their own, heading directly to the nearby hill on the edge of the kingdom. I stumbled a few times as my mind raced faster than my feet, but I quickly picked myself back up and continued on.
Once I was standing, panting, atop the hill, I turned to see the dragon flying in circles around the townspeople as if playing with his food. The people were now huddled together so compactly that if I hadn't seen them moments before, I wouldn't have known they were people. It was then that my heart took control of my hands and I began banging the spoon desperately against the pot. 
Clink, clink, clink.
The dragon's eyes instantly darted in my direction.
My breath stopped for just a moment, watching his massive wings swarming through the air, his body hovering, staring at me.
Clink, clink, clink.
Then it happened. His flames were now rolling towards me as his scaly lizard-like body began to slice through the air like a knife through butter, and I ran.

Written by K, Copyright 2015