School's Out...Forever! by Kate McMullan Read Free Book Online Page A

slammed the heavy, iron door behind him.

Chapter 9
    E veryone had run for cover.
    Wiglaf stood alone in the castle yard.
    Dudwin dashed out from the henhouse and ran to his brother.
    â€œYou must hide!” he cried. “These are giant dragons, Wiggie. They’ll flame you!”
    Wiglaf did not move.
    The pair of enormous dragons landed in the castle yard, and the ground shook. One dragon was orange. The other was green.
    â€œHurry!” Dudwin grabbed Wiglaf’s elbow and tried to drag him toward the henhouse.
    But Wiglaf yanked his arm free and began running toward the dragons.
    â€œYou’ll be roasted, Wiggie!” Dudwin called.
    The green dragon turned its head and lookedat Wiglaf with a pair of yellow eyes with cherry-red centers.
    â€œWorm!” Wiglaf cried as he ran. “Wooooorm!”
    â€œMommy!”
called the green dragon, bouncing toward Wiglaf.
    The last time Wiglaf had seen him, Worm was as big as a horse. Now he was as big as a house!
    Wiglaf reached his dragon. He tried to throw his arms around him, but Worm’s neck was too big for a hug.
    â€œYou were gone so long, and I was so worried, Worm!” cried Wiglaf.
    â€œNo worry,”
said Worm.
“I always come back to you, Mommy.”
    â€œBut what if you know not where I am?” said Wiglaf.
    â€œI find you any place,”
said Worm. “
No matter where you are.”
    â€œOh, I am glad of that!” said Wiglaf. “Now tell me, where have you been?”
    â€œLong story,”
said Worm as the orange dragon stepped up beside him. She blinked her deep-blue eyes.
    â€œThis Shirley Dragon,”
said Worm.
“I meet Shirley at Lair. Shirley fly off with other dragons, and I fly off to go to school to learn dragon ways. But I miss Shirley, so I fly off to find her. Shirley miss me, too, and she fly off to find me.”
Shirley nuzzled Worm’s neck. Worm purred happily.
“Lucky for us, we fi
nd each other.”
    Now Wiglaf understood that it wasn’t him Worm had gone searching for. It was Shirley Dragon.
    Brother Dave dashed out from the stables.
    â€œWorm!” he cried, running over. “Thou art back!”
    â€œBrrr!”
trilled Worm.
    â€œThis is Shirley Dragon,” Wiglaf told Brother Dave.
    â€œShirley and I in love,”
said Worm.
“Want to get married!”
    â€œMarried?” cried Wiglaf. “You are but a baby, Worm!”
    â€œTaketh another look at thine dragon, Wiglaf,” Brother Dave said.
    Wiglaf swallowed. Worm was enormous. And he no longer spoke like a baby dragon. But marriage? That was a big step.
    Worm bent close to Brother Dave.
“Willl you marrry us, Brrrr?”
    â€œI shalt!” said Brother Dave. “Where wilt thine wedding taketh place?”
    â€œRight here,”
said Worm.
    â€œRight now,”
added Shirley Dragon.
    Mordred stuck his head out of his office window and hollered, “What’s going on down there?”
    â€œThese are friendly dragons, sir!” Wiglaf called up.
    Hearing this, everyone peeped out at the dragons from their hiding spots.
    Count Moneypots, Lady Drippingwealth, and Sir Fuzzydice staggered back through the castle gate, soaked to the bone and stinking of eel.
    Mordred’s head vanished from the window, and in no time, the red-caped headmaster dashed out the castle door.
    â€œMoneypants! Lady Drippingwet!” he cried as he ran toward them. “Sir Fuzzy!”
    â€œGet rid of the dragons, Mordie,” growled Sir Fuzzydice. “Or we’re pulling out of the deal.”
    â€œPulling out?” squealed Mordred. “No, don’t even THINK it!” He turned and smiled nervously at the dragons.
    â€œBe gone!” He wiggled his fingers at them. “Go on! Shoo!”
    The dragons only stared at the headmaster.
    â€œFly up to the clouds!” Mordred jabbed a finger at the sky. “Back where you came from. Go!”
    Worm and Shirley stayed