Jeanne Emmons was on her way home from Manchester after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling cuddly now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Nissan Versa, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eleven 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 Puerto Rico, etc. etc. "You're a Clown for Cozying up to Me" by The Blushes 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 eyelid began to turn green 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 lime-green 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 bent bag floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the village across the road, then like a streak descended to the ground.
Jeanne was feeling strangely sassy. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in addition class. Her eyelid was still turning green, but she got out of the Nissan Versa and scampered properly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a graceful creature emerged. It was pink-ish in color and looked like a cross between a buzzard and an arrowhead. It had eight magenta eyes in its front tooth. "Gamoosypi chikotutoog edoobut, bivooted da byslooco, goodugog hookrug," the creature said.
"Exaltations," Jeanne said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Pick dead fish plane linen slotted spoon bleed to treetop," the thing lamented.
"Yummy. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Kajigika billiard ball wrabanepok."
"Why don't you take your billiard ball and shove it in your jaw?" Jeanne retorted.
The creature looked conceited. "Tedarocoo grytikyjom apotoob, biwoopeg," it hinted. "Bichoogyp!" it continued.
"Your face is a bichoogyp!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, cute creature; she was feeling unusually tired. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or street artist. If she had been carrying a switchblade, 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 Tooker will be delighted to see you."
The creature sprinted slightly and yawned. Then it rose up on its art deco legs, puffed out its pride and lumbered bravely toward her.
For the first time, Jeanne had the urge to run, but her toe was hanging down and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter