Jonah and the Last Great Dragon by M E. Holley Page A

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    â€˜That’s no good,’ Jonah interrupted. ‘It’s too chancy. If we don’t say it right, it probably won’t work. We’d better go in the church and learn it. Quick.’
    â€˜You do that. I’ll get Mike. If he’s who we think, he’ll know how to use it.’
    While Erin ran towards the back of the church, Jonah looked around to for Night Creatures. Seeing that there weren’t any close to the church, he ran towards the south door. He peered over the gate into the porch and squinted up at its ceiling. The porch was empty. No fiends there.
    â€˜Jonah!’ Erin was rushing back along the path. ‘He’s not there. Mike’s not there. Did you see him come back?’
    Jonah shook his head and scanned all the people backed behind the gravestones. ‘He’s not here. We’d be able to see him if he was. He’s taller than most people.’ He turned to Erin. ‘What are we going to do?’
    She bit her lip and then slapped her hand against her head. ‘Oh, I’m dim! Of course. We need the vicar! He’ll know it off by heart. Won’t be a tick.’ And she sprinted off across the grass, without looking to see where the Night Creatures were, and nearly colliding with Mr Vaughan, as the vicar hurried towards the church.
    â€˜Jonah’s got an idea to frighten them off,’ she burst out. ‘The spell on the wall. It’s to use against demons, isn’t it?’
    â€˜Yes,’ said the vicar, his face brightening. ‘Well done! Quick. Come with me.’
    â€˜But— ’ Erin waved towards Megan and Gethin.
    â€˜No, I can’t just say the prayer. There’s more to it than that,’ gasped Mr Vaughan. ‘You’ll see in a minute.’
    He seized Erin’s arm and they ran towards the church door. Jonah was standing in the nave looking up at the framed explanation of the ancient spell, repeating it to himself. The vicar hurried into the vestry and came back with some sheets of paper and a couple of pens.
    â€˜What we have to do,’ he said, carefully folding the paper, ‘is copy out the Abracadabra spell.’ He looked hard at Jonah. ‘If you would help me, I won’t have to waste precious time explaining to anyone else. But it might be dangerous.’
    â€˜Doesn’t matter. I’ll help,’ Jonah blurted out. ‘I’ll be OK.’
    â€˜I will, too,’ said Erin eagerly.
    â€˜Right,’ said Mr Vaughan. ‘Come and look.’
    They went to stand in front of a framed explanation of the ancient spell. The word Abracadabra was written to make a triangle:
    ABRACADABRA ABRACADABR ABRACADAB ABRACADA ABRACAD ABRACA ABRAC ABRA ABR AB A ‘We need to copy it out exactly as it is on the wall,’ the vicar explained, beginning to write, ‘on five separate pieces of paper. We know that there was a terrible plague, in 1665 I think, and people wore the charm, folded up as an amulet. They had it round their necks to keep themselves safe against infection. We’ll make amulets, too.’ He stopped and thought for a moment. ‘I don’t think there’s any string in the vestry, though. We’ll have to find another way of hanging them round the children’s necks.’
    â€˜Would it work if we fixed the charms to their clothing instead? Safety pins or paper clips?’
    â€˜I don’t see why not. Good idea, Jonah. I know, we could use sticky tape. I think there’s some in the cupboard in the vestry. Could you have a look, Erin?’
    She nodded and shot off towards the vestry door. Mr Vaughan turned to Jonah. ‘Then, and this is the dangerous bit, we have to somehow get past that creature and put them on the young people’s clothes. We’ll protect ourselves with them, too. Can you each write one out, while I do the others?’
    Erin was soon back with a roll of tape. Working as fast and as neatly