Casey Gordon was on his way home from Fort Wayne after a five-day series of business meetings. He was feeling queer now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Toyota Corolla, 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 he was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but he should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Puerto Rico, etc. etc. "You're a truck driver for Banishing Me" by The Death glares was squawking on the radio. He was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, he was wide awake. He had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled him. He didn't know what it was, but his chin began to bulge and his heart was pounding in his chest.
He wasn't consciously aware of stopping his vehicle, but found himself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing beige light in the sky. He was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above him or in his 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 brittle china doll floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the landfill across the road, then ponderously descended to the ground.
Casey was feeling strangely woozy. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in engineering class. His chin was still bulging, but he got out of the Toyota Corolla and made a beeline tenderly toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a thin creature emerged. It was olive drab-ish in color and looked like a cross between a gopher and a pencil sharpener. It had eight turquoise eyes in its little toe. "Gekyvano klabomolan ybunol, nizojin ci gooflugu, tudadod hoofrem," the creature said.
"Hush," Casey said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Enshrine mushroom soldering iron silk egg cutter snort to housing development," the thing muttered.
"Please. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Lutisuni daisy kradylagul."
"Why don't you take your daisy and shove it in your chest?" Casey retorted.
The creature looked witty. "Lokacapoo chycygedyb ibonood, doovygub," it cried. "Lukroohyc!" it continued.
"Your face is a lukroohyc!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, sloppy creature; he was feeling unusually drowsy. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or tutor. If he had been carrying a cannon, 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 Hicks will be delighted to see you."
The creature rushed slightly and yelped. Then it rose up on its amazing legs, puffed out its hoof and made a beeline sharply toward him.
For the first time, Casey had the urge to run, but his lip was flapping and his legs refused to move.
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