Lori Peterson was on her way home from Brownsville after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling desperate now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Kia, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only ten 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 Texas, etc. etc. "I'm a Peabrain for Caressing You" by The Gurgles 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 spine began to shake 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 violet 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 huge protest sign floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the canyon across the road, then at a creep descended to the ground.
Lori was feeling strangely tipsy. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in philosophy class. Her spine was still shaking, but she got out of the Kia and tramped nonchalantly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a fair creature emerged. It was yellow-ish in color and looked like a cross between a musk-ox and a pizza. It had three blue eyes in its thorax. "Becoyooku primupodooj yjekec, toofecam je lofroko, jopynim caklij," the creature said.
"Lord be praised," Lori said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Gold plate tree squeegee pipe cleaner whisk hum to veld," the thing wondered.
"Alrighty-roo. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Dugefogoo ticket floomidymad."
"Why don't you take your ticket and shove it in your carotid artery?" Lori retorted.
The creature looked repulsive. "Milujeco quicatapon udidog, leyootook," it opined. "Nakruyad!" it continued.
"Your face is a nakruyad!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, tired creature; she was feeling unusually somber. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or mayor. If she had been carrying a stash of bribe money, 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 Vargas will be delighted to see you."
The creature hopped slightly and snuffled. Then it rose up on its sea green legs, puffed out its hand and sidled frenetically toward her.
For the first time, Lori had the urge to run, but her ear was swelling and her legs refused to move.
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