Chapter 7: The Great Escape

I knew I had to escape before they came at me with the knife, but how? Where was I gonna' go? I looked all around but saw nowhere to hide. I sat there, worried when I had an idea.

I had seen there was a basketball hoop in the driveway of the house, and I knew where there was a hoop, there must also be a ball. I scanned the ground, and saw just who I was looking for. It was a new orange basketball which looked a lot like me (just not as pretty). Well, if you didn't know, I should tell you that basketballs are distant cousins of pumpkins, and the fact we have similarities is no secret- you know, round, orange, and we only get used for one season...

If I could only get myself over to that basketball and switch places with him, I thought, I would be a safe pumpkin once again.
I decided to get closer to the basketball so I started to rock back and forth until I rolled off the porch. I rolled across the grass and right up to the basketball. I said 'swoosh-pitter-pat,' which meant hello in basketball. The ball said, 'swoosh-pitter-pat' back to me.
Now trying to explain something to a basketball that doesn't speak much pumpkin is not easy, as a matter of fact it's nearly impossible, but I knew I didn't have much time before lunch was over, and the carving would start, so I did my best.

After the basketball had heard everything he was a little worried, especially about the knife, but like any good cousin, he said he would help me.

I thanked the basketball a thousand times as he bounced himself over to the porch, and I lay in the driveway acting as much like a basketball as a pumpkin can.