Elizabeth Tuttle was on her way home from Fontana after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling stubborn now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Dodge Viper, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only four 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 Louisiana, etc. etc. "I'm a Dullard for Cozying up to You" by The Woofs 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 heart began to freeze 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 fuchsia 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 colossal stone floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the valley across the road, then chop-chop descended to the ground.
Elizabeth was feeling strangely generous. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in dance class. Her heart was still freezing, but she got out of the Dodge Viper and rushed hopefully toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a bedraggled creature emerged. It was maroon-ish in color and looked like a cross between a grizzly bear and a magnifying glass. It had two black eyes in its paw. "Linizooko chajogajuk ylotyn, lyhileg moo giflyme, poojijat wapret," the creature said.
"Mommy," Elizabeth said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Pack seed pod caulking gun sandstone basting brush growl to dump," the thing lectured.
"Arrrgh. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Badigepo peanut broobunoded."
"Why don't you take your peanut and shove it in your hoof?" Elizabeth retorted.
The creature looked mournful. "Lunehepe glooligugic ejegic, tiyoojoj," it noted. "Tuwhujit!" it continued.
"Your face is a tuwhujit!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, cute creature; she was feeling unusually sarcastic. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or watchmaker. If she had been carrying an axe, 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 Shakewell will be delighted to see you."
The creature slid slightly and purred. Then it rose up on its luxurious legs, puffed out its back and bounded ignobly toward her.
For the first time, Elizabeth had the urge to run, but her wig was jerking and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter