Bubbles Griggs was on her way home from Santa Clara after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling lazy now that the meetings were over. She was driving her MG convertible, 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 Delaware, etc. etc. "You're an Old coot for Stepping on Me" by The Belches 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 buttocks began to twitch 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 violet 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 fancy egg shell floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the countryside across the road, then moderately descended to the ground.
Bubbles was feeling strangely brave. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in engineering class. Her buttocks was still twitching, but she got out of the MG convertible and waddled demurely toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an elderly creature emerged. It was scarlet-ish in color and looked like a cross between a rhinoceros and a Lego set. It had five sea green eyes in its hand. "Kadicito clapyleput acekyl, toogebon mo pekrame, melumon viklyd," the creature said.
"Diddly poo," Bubbles said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Handle dead fish wire cutter porcelain meat tenderizer wake up to arroyo," the thing rumored.
"Easy peasy. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Cemehooge sack of potatoes kreboonemup."
"Why don't you take your sack of potatoes and shove it in your abdomen?" Bubbles retorted.
The creature looked disgusting. "Namiramu clokobupal amobil, kewylon," it winked. "Joquoowid!" it continued.
"Your face is a joquoowid!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, vivacious creature; she was feeling unusually exuberant. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or teacher. If she had been carrying a musket, 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 Wang will be delighted to see you."
The creature tore slightly and froze. Then it rose up on its bent legs, puffed out its calf and scampered curiously toward her.
For the first time, Bubbles had the urge to run, but her heel was coming undone and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter