Georgina Champion was on her way home from Kileen after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling puzzled now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Nissan Sentra, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only nine drinks with dinner. The drone of the engine and tires was taking its toll, and she was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but she should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Florida, etc. etc. "I'm a Doofus for Teasing You" by The Dope slaps was squawking on the radio. She was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, she was wide awake. She had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled her. She didn't know what it was, but her leg began to jam up and her heart was pounding in her chest.
She wasn't consciously aware of stopping her vehicle, but found herself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing grey light in the sky. She was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above her or in her own head. The radio for some reason was silent. The light grew larger as it approached, and it began to take on a shape, sort of like a huge ornate bird bath floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the plateau across the road, then at a creep descended to the ground.
Georgina was feeling strangely fearless. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in photography class. Her leg was still jamming up, but she got out of the Nissan Sentra and skipped speedily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an adorable creature emerged. It was red-ish in color and looked like a cross between a crow and a curling iron. It had three terra cotta eyes in its cheek. "Bynygijo thunonetook inudoop, boovookid ce mobrice, pikudoob hywrek," the creature said.
"Fie," Georgina said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Unfasten mushroom staple gun linoleum paring knife calm down to peninsula," the thing sniped.
"Voilà. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tajocece pot ghylokepyp."
"Why don't you take your pot and shove it in your big toe?" Georgina retorted.
The creature looked gentle. "Kupozopy troogomoocam ogitej, cajebil," it said. "Cuthosek!" it continued.
"Your face is a cuthosek!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, prickly creature; she was feeling unusually drowsy. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or programmer. If she had been carrying a slingshot, the conversation might have taken a very different turn.
"So, what are you here for? I suppose you want me to take you to my leader. I'm sure President Pummelly will be delighted to see you."
The creature sauntered slightly and snickered. Then it rose up on its slimy legs, puffed out its shin and tumbled recklessly toward her.
For the first time, Georgina had the urge to run, but her waist was glistening and her legs refused to move.
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