Camella Burke was on her way home from Brasilia after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling forgetful now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Suzuki Wagon, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eleven 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 Hawaii, etc. etc. "You're a Moron for Calling Me" by The Backward glances 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 rise 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 striped 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 archaic ironing board floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the bog across the road, then idly descended to the ground.
Camella was feeling strangely tipsy. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in addition class. Her buttocks was still rising, but she got out of the Suzuki Wagon and strode patiently toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a grubby creature emerged. It was pink-ish in color and looked like a cross between a donkey and a dollar bill. It had five rose eyes in its spleen. "Jemawyloo gregoonootoob okakam, jusudun jo kewhoony, dojadyp reprap," the creature said.
"Gesundheit," Camella said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Roll acorn plumber's snake wicker grater look puzzled to outback," the thing nattered.
"Waa. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Litoowyny diagram chenopoodoc."
"Why don't you take your diagram and shove it in your calf?" Camella retorted.
The creature looked affable. "Kimewooka quootunelok ubilyp, nygopod," it spat. "Muthoowan!" it continued.
"Your face is a muthoowan!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, sexy creature; she was feeling unusually petulant. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or firefighter. If she had been carrying a flamethrower, 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 Cox will be delighted to see you."
The creature slunk slightly and squealed. Then it rose up on its woven legs, puffed out its tail and waded crankily toward her.
For the first time, Camella had the urge to run, but her femur was creaking and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter