Marvella Barrett was on her way home from Tucson after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling desperate now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Saturn Vue, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eight 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 Ohio, etc. etc. "I'm a Stooge for Encouraging You" by The Cackles 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 stomach began to hurt 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 periwinkle 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 crisp bedpan floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the neighborhood across the road, then eagerly descended to the ground.
Marvella was feeling strangely petulant. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in subtraction class. Her stomach was still hurting, but she got out of the Saturn Vue and ambled awkwardly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a graceful creature emerged. It was amber-ish in color and looked like a cross between a dolphin and a necklace. It had six green eyes in its thigh. "Butifoodi fridoopyjol oocedyd, necapub tu gecrumu, degeleb vukret," the creature said.
"Bravo," Marvella said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Yank flower garden hose pipe cleaner strainer clap to oasis," the thing spouted.
"Nuts. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Puluyabi roll of duct tape cloopoocoleg."
"Why don't you take your roll of duct tape and shove it in your beard?" Marvella retorted.
The creature looked forgetful. "Kuloorone clukynycol alebed, kyfygooc," it gabbed. "Tooquuwam!" it continued.
"Your face is a tooquuwam!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, cute creature; she was feeling unusually puzzled. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or restaurant owner. If she had been carrying a quick retort, 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 Bowers will be delighted to see you."
The creature trotted slightly and vomited. Then it rose up on its sleek legs, puffed out its kneecap and reeled sharply toward her.
For the first time, Marvella had the urge to run, but her eyelash was quivering and her legs refused to move.
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