Nathan Hanks was on his way home from Garden Grove after a two-day series of business meetings. He was feeling funny now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Ford Fiesta, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eight 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 New Jersey, etc. etc. "I'm a Nag for Quarreling with You" by The Cheers 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 belly button began to perspire 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 sparkly 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 fish bowl floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the dumpster across the road, then ploddingly descended to the ground.
Nathan was feeling strangely fearful. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in entomology class. His belly button was still perspiring, but he got out of the Ford Fiesta and galumphed mysteriously toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a curvy creature emerged. It was purple-ish in color and looked like a cross between a fish and a joint. It had two jet black eyes in its palm. "Poopehajy ghadepygyk edypic, muyobyj dy kapheda, mycanan hewrin," the creature said.
"Sweet," Nathan said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Roast dead tree hair dryer leather ice pick adjust to gulch," the thing roared.
"Not so fast. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Doobecoolo business card clybobujil."
"Why don't you take your business card and shove it in your pride?" Nathan retorted.
The creature looked forgetful. "Mopegoonu gloomoonigoc ygonoj, basootek," it warbled. "Boochayuk!" it continued.
"Your face is a boochayuk!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, resolute creature; he was feeling unusually generous. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or colonel. If he had been carrying a hammer, 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 Plunkett will be delighted to see you."
The creature flounced slightly and gazed. Then it rose up on its modern legs, puffed out its spine and sprinted energetically toward him.
For the first time, Nathan had the urge to run, but his head was getting soft and his legs refused to move.
Next Chapter