Lindsay Clinton was on her way home from Avonlea after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling self-assured now that the meetings were over. She was driving her paddy wagon, 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 Nebraska, etc. etc. "I'm a Floozy for Outrunning You" by The Growls 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 throat began to oscillate 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 aquamarine 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 overgrown basketball floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the glen across the road, then speedily descended to the ground.
Lindsay was feeling strangely perky. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in botany class. Her throat was still oscillating, but she got out of the paddy wagon and capered lazily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a well-built creature emerged. It was scarlet-ish in color and looked like a cross between a cocker spaniel and a pink flamingo. It had five amber eyes in its Adam's apple. "Netoocojy trokoocitoom epulok, poositym ga kygrudy, pugolij juphin," the creature said.
"My land," Lindsay said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Reject mushroom cotton swab dirt mixing spoon frown to landfill," the thing commented.
"Blast. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Bytyhaloo hip flask crolypejan."
"Why don't you take your hip flask and shove it in your hoof?" Lindsay retorted.
The creature looked prickly. "Jaluyookoo pruleliloot oocydac, tyvamyt," it chuckled. "Metherun!" it continued.
"Your face is a metherun!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, furry creature; she was feeling unusually disagreeable. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or dentist. If she had been carrying a cobra, 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 Lombardi will be delighted to see you."
The creature loped slightly and begged. Then it rose up on its gigantic legs, puffed out its aorta and hopped accidentally toward her.
For the first time, Lindsay had the urge to run, but her ankle was lining up and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter