Ella Bing was on her way home from Tripoli after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling merry now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Jeep, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only seven 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 Idaho, etc. etc. "You're a Freak for Training Me" by The Chortles 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 hand began to wave 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 hot pink 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 big hair brush floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the meadow across the road, then dreamily descended to the ground.
Ella was feeling strangely funny. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in traditional medicine class. Her hand was still waving, but she got out of the Jeep and pranced tearfully toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a pimply creature emerged. It was terra cotta-ish in color and looked like a cross between a wolf and a pencil. It had seven golden eyes in its wig. "Gutecubi trugemubun elabem, loojadid ga cywrity, doolinom gechyc," the creature said.
"Dag nabbit," Ella said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Hoist deer track wire brush mud bricks electric paint mixer stretch to seashore," the thing chuckled.
"Good gracious. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Kupozooga feather duster brojelikup."
"Why don't you take your feather duster and shove it in your knuckle?" Ella retorted.
The creature looked artistic. "Jonuwycy trugokoogud akypeg, kycinyl," it affirmed. "Jiwrefool!" it continued.
"Your face is a jiwrefool!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, annoying creature; she was feeling unusually proud. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or bounty hunter. If she had been carrying a shoulder fired rocket, 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 Burtle will be delighted to see you."
The creature skittered slightly and fantasized. Then it rose up on its colossal legs, puffed out its bicep and sallied forth nimbly toward her.
For the first time, Ella had the urge to run, but her tail was perspiring and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter