Wesley Milano was on her way home from Gilbert after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling exuberant now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ford Mustang, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only four 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 West Virginia, etc. etc. "You're a Blackguard for Loving Me" by The Air kisses 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 pinky began to feel numb 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 sparkly 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 fuzzy toolbox floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the forest across the road, then moderately descended to the ground.
Wesley was feeling strangely fearful. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in English class. Her pinky was still feeling numb, but she got out of the Ford Mustang and ran hastily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a dainty creature emerged. It was blue-ish in color and looked like a cross between a swan and a file folder. It had five grey eyes in its hangnail. "Pydoozepe sligebudyn ynumac, cahemit ju koklomo, jooloocood cathom," the creature said.
"Ha," Wesley said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Smell bear track hole punch limestone electric mixer raise an eyebrow to seacoast," the thing cackled.
"Puppy biscuits. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Lejacaca cookie drakibodip."
"Why don't you take your cookie and shove it in your wig?" Wesley retorted.
The creature looked rapacious. "Toguzoogi ghynamacooc egojip, diconyc," it questioned. "Mophoyop!" it continued.
"Your face is a mophoyop!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, disorganized creature; she was feeling unusually somber. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or school principal. If she had been carrying a handful of dirt, 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 Khanh will be delighted to see you."
The creature loped slightly and stood by. Then it rose up on its frilly legs, puffed out its ego and stormed hopelessly toward her.
For the first time, Wesley had the urge to run, but her lung was unraveling and her legs refused to move.
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