Tori O'Brien was on her way home from Myrtle Beach after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling perky now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Model T, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only five 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 Hawaii, etc. etc. "I'm a Beast for Hypnotizing You" by The Gasps 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 hair began to growl 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 aqua 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 brightly-colored button floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the lakeside across the road, then leadenly descended to the ground.
Tori was feeling strangely tipsy. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in songwriting class. Her hair was still growling, but she got out of the Model T and jumped gently toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a large creature emerged. It was aqua-ish in color and looked like a cross between a computer and a brush. It had three pink eyes in its thigh. "Coobahobu brunotedek ebanood, boovoonog ke jawreda, nigytoc vakryk," the creature said.
"Blast," Tori said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Clean wildflower jack steel bare foot watch to battlefield," the thing squeaked.
"Say what. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Kypyjeci tube of toothpaste slokoobijeb."
"Why don't you take your tube of toothpaste and shove it in your thigh?" Tori retorted.
The creature looked haggard. "Nyjyhali droopoolookip ocikoog, boohitooj," it reminded. "Lapriyil!" it continued.
"Your face is a lapriyil!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, apoplectic creature; she was feeling unusually queer. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or delivery driver. If she had been carrying a syringe, 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 Woods will be delighted to see you."
The creature sauntered slightly and vegetated. Then it rose up on its curved legs, puffed out its hip and crept wryly toward her.
For the first time, Tori had the urge to run, but her eyebrow was turning yellow and her legs refused to move.
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