"Prudence? Prudence? Don't go. Please." He shook her sagging belly with his tiny hands, but she didn't move. She only lay there, struggling to breathe. I can't let this happen, he thought. There had to be some way out of here.
He spotted a truck parked nearby, a newer one than Mr. Pryde's, but he was certain it operated on the same principles. Halfway to the vehicle, Wendell tripped and couldn't get back up again. A long white gown covered his body, an infant's body now. He tried to say something to Prudence, but only gibberish came out. He wailed the cry of a baby missing its mother, the sadness of the call opening Prudence's eyes. He clapped and giggled at this.
"What?" she managed to get out. He pointed first at the truck and then at her. "Can't…drive." He pantomimed steering and then tapped his chest and pretended to hit imaginary pedals. She understood now. If she steered and he used the pedals, they might be able to drive. It was worth a shot.
She rolled onto all fours and then hobbled over to pick up baby Wendell with her mouth. He climbed onto her neck so she could let him into the truck. Using much of her remaining strength, she flopped into the bed of the truck, reaching in through the back window to grab the steering wheel. Wendell gave a set of keys to her, which she put in the ignition as she'd seen Mr. Pryde do and then turned the key.
After the engine started, she shifted into reverse. Wendell pushed down on the accelerator with both hands, the truck lurching backwards in response. He slammed on the brakes for Prudence to shift into drive. They were on their way.
When Prudence's hands finally turned to hooves halfway there she had to use her hocks to steer. When Wendell became too weak to push down on the pedals with his arms, he flung his entire body against them. Since neither of them could speak, they worked out a system where Prudence grunted once for Wendell to accelerate and twice for him to brake.
As a sharp curve approached, Prudence squealed twice. Wendell threw himself onto the brake in time to keep them from smashing through the guardrail. Prudence wheezed with relief and then got them going in the right direction again.
She snorted for joy when Mr. Pryde's house came in sight. They'd made it! She swung the truck into the driveway and signaled Wendell to hit the brake. With one hoof she shifted the truck into park and then plopped over the side of the truck onto the ground. For a moment she lay in the dirt, immersed in the feeling of being home. I'm not a pig, she told herself. Not yet. She rolled onto her feet and came to stand beneath the door as Wendell crawled out the window.