Jolene Rivera was on her way home from Mexico City after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling cunning now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Gremlin, 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 Wyoming, etc. etc. "I'm a Curmudgeon for Hiding from You" by The Smiles 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 flutter 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 red 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 bulky whistle floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the outback across the road, then steadily descended to the ground.
Jolene was feeling strangely furious. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in architecture class. Her throat was still fluttering, but she got out of the Gremlin and tore immediately toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a smallish creature emerged. It was magenta-ish in color and looked like a cross between a peacock and a dart. It had five tan eyes in its elbow. "Canasucoo trykydubyb ekocal, locakok le cugroomy, gipimyb reclet," the creature said.
"Whoopee," Jolene said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Grapple raspberry bush shovel old bone whisk whirl to neighborhood," the thing quoted.
"I'll bet. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Majeseme cigar fryjubocoot."
"Why don't you take your cigar and shove it in your bicep?" Jolene retorted.
The creature looked comely. "Nepezyte whapacunab oomaluj, bisugup," it rambled. "Nocroozec!" it continued.
"Your face is a nocroozec!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, fashionable creature; she was feeling unusually forgetful. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or cowboy. If she had been carrying a whip, 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 Hayward will be delighted to see you."
The creature bounced slightly and suffered. Then it rose up on its amazing legs, puffed out its throat and padded firmly toward her.
For the first time, Jolene had the urge to run, but her aorta was stiffening and her legs refused to move.
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