She lowered the knife and it grew even brighter. How was she to know that this pumpkin was her love? Yet, right before she sliced off the top, a voice screamed out "NO!"
The knife clashed noisily with the floor as she jumped back in surprise. After a quiet moment, she picked up the knife and gently prodded the now softly glowing pumpkin with the handle. It laughed. The pumpkin, I mean.
"Wh... What are you?" she whispered quietly.
The pumpkin jumped up and executed a perfect bow, made somewhat difficult due to it's lack of a body.
"Allow me, my lady, to explain," started the pumpkin. "I am bewitched by a lonely spirit, made a pumpkin by magic. You see, I was born to a lowly couple on Samhain in the middle ages. But I was born ill. My parents (may they rest in peace) made a bargain with a spirit. If I was too be well, the spirit would get me come my twenty-first birthday. Time came and went and soon my twentieth winter had arrived. My parents locked me away but the spirit still found me. Yet he was a kind and gentle spirit who, rather than take my soul, made me this glowing pumpkin. And thus I would stay until a girl came to take me home. Who, though, would want a glowing pumpkin? Yet you saw past my unusual luminescence and took me as your own."
"So... my pumpkin pie is a twenty year old boy from the past?" she asked, disbelieving.
"Well... twenty-one actually but yes. Whoever picked me was destined to become my wife. For who, as I have mentioned, would want a glowing pumpkin but one filled with love?"
"Yeh well sorry Mr. Pumpkin. I don't play by the rules and I want my pumpkin pie," she laughed nervously and moved in to cut up the pumpkin.
But again the pumpkin cried out. "Please! Please," the second please had come out as more of a whisper.
She paused.
"Give me a year. One year to prove myself. Merely place me on that window ledge and you will see," the pumpkin bargained quickly.
The girl complied and placed the pumpkin on her window sill.. The year passed, afternoons more and more frequently filled with talking, she asking about the past, he asking about her. And through this year, she learned to love the growing pumpkin.
The next Halloween (for, you see, Halloween is based on the old ritual called Samhain), at the stroke of midnight, the pumpkin began to change. She watched in amazement, never noticing the presence watching with her. And there, standing quite handsome and quite... ahem... naked, stood the pumpkin. Only... he was a man. His blue eyes met hers as his brown hair shifted calmly in the wind. The girl brought him a blanket to wrap in and, when covered, he turned to the specter.
"Thank you," his near inaudible voice filled the room."For this experience, for my youth, for my name, my humanity, my life. And, dear grandfather, thank you for her. My love," he wrapped an arm around her waist and she leaned into him.
"My grandson..." sighed the ghost. "I could have wished for nothing more than these years with you."
"Tell mother and father I love them and that they will see my wife, their daughter, when we arrive."
The spirit bowed it's head and faded away with the wind. She and her pumpkin, her love, faced the pumpkin moon. Neither knew what would become of them but they would stay together.
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A/N: Ok not my best I know. A little weird. Hope you understand it!!! ^^
Much love and hugs!! --ARI