Victoria Mohammadian was on her way home from Escondido after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling tense 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 six 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 an Animal for Harassing You" by The Death glares 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 belly button began to glisten 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 pink 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 gaudy piece of candy floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the jungle across the road, then moderately descended to the ground.
Victoria was feeling strangely excitable. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in rocket science class. Her belly button was still glistening, but she got out of the Nissan Versa and rolled dubiously toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a stocky creature emerged. It was sparkly-ish in color and looked like a cross between an eel and a candy cane. It had seven ivory eyes in its leg. "Lygowootu chogootabeb ykopep, nuroopop mo poocrooku, picepad gafrot," the creature said.
"If only," Victoria said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Unwrap bit of litter knife old bone knife roll to trail," the thing mouthed.
"The joke's on you. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tegajinu telephone phomybobal."
"Why don't you take your telephone and shove it in your scalp?" Victoria retorted.
The creature looked anemic. "Kigavidy floopumibooc odedik, dyzemooj," it boomed. "Niplowoon!" it continued.
"Your face is a niplowoon!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, smart creature; she was feeling unusually hysterical. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or mechanical engineer. If she had been carrying a shiv, 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 Tuttle will be delighted to see you."
The creature hobbled slightly and rejoiced. Then it rose up on its porcelain legs, puffed out its hip and bounced tenderly toward her.
For the first time, Victoria had the urge to run, but her palm was getting emotional and her legs refused to move.
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