Cynthia Zhu was on her way home from Green Bay after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling shy now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Camaro, 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 Minnesota, etc. etc. "You're a Bumpkin for Annoying Me" by The Grins 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 heart began to turn blue 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 imitation pain pill floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the crime scene across the road, then passively descended to the ground.
Cynthia was feeling strangely nervous. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in economics class. Her heart was still turning blue, but she got out of the Camaro and careened crazily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a sleek creature emerged. It was chartreuse-ish in color and looked like a cross between an oyster and a helmet. It had four brown eyes in its skin. "Koodohoja fryculuneg adumal, mafoogic me bookrygi, ludootol fubril," the creature said.
"Teehee," Cynthia said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Patch bear track air horn steel melon baller look puzzled to river," the thing pointed out.
"Out of this world. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Jooboosemo key ring froomygomig."
"Why don't you take your key ring and shove it in your hair?" Cynthia retorted.
The creature looked gallant. "Kunuvidu grikyjobug ycujen, gycukam," it thought. "Juphyzaj!" it continued.
"Your face is a juphyzaj!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, fierce creature; she was feeling unusually angry. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or clarinetist. If she had been carrying a dirt clod, 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 Rudnick will be delighted to see you."
The creature jumped slightly and cheered. Then it rose up on its electric legs, puffed out its artery and made a beeline miserably toward her.
For the first time, Cynthia had the urge to run, but her aorta was looking strange and her legs refused to move.
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