Kathryn Beluchi was on her way home from Halifax after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling awkward now that the meetings were over. She was driving her GTO, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only nine 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 Missouri, etc. etc. "You're a Renegade for Exposing Me" by The Hiccups 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 nostril began to wrinkle 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 polka dotted 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 filthy bugle floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the dump across the road, then briskly descended to the ground.
Kathryn was feeling strangely self-confident. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in science class. Her nostril was still wrinkling, but she got out of the GTO and galumphed doubtfully toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a nervous creature emerged. It was golden-ish in color and looked like a cross between a panther and an avocado. It had two chartreuse eyes in its bicep. "Mylyjydi priloopoonyd etymud, tesooget ge mafroota, myjogad wyghyp," the creature said.
"Avast," Kathryn said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Cut wolf track laser beam tempered glass blender rest to cornfield," the thing growled.
"Gosh darn. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Nenusipoo dollhouse chikomigup."
"Why don't you take your dollhouse and shove it in your horn?" Kathryn retorted.
The creature looked proud. "Lotujymo slucypojig uloocoot, mijinyc," it preached. "Loogroohep!" it continued.
"Your face is a loogroohep!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, lively creature; she was feeling unusually decisive. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or news reporter. If she had been carrying a photon torpedo, 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 Riley will be delighted to see you."
The creature tiptoed slightly and fainted. Then it rose up on its spongy legs, puffed out its ankle and traipsed shyly toward her.
For the first time, Kathryn had the urge to run, but her back was sinking and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter