Madison Krause was on her way home from Havana after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling cautious now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Trans Am, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only nine 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 Oklahoma, etc. etc. "I'm a Chowderhead for Confusing You" by The Power fists 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 hair began to undulate 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 jet black 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 brittle book floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the bog across the road, then chop-chop descended to the ground.
Madison was feeling strangely forgetful. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in information science class. Her hair was still undulating, but she got out of the Trans Am and slid woodenly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an adorable creature emerged. It was aqua-ish in color and looked like a cross between a moose and a smart phone. It had four aqua eyes in its face. "Gooboruge phoonookikun abetac, dogatep too nogrodi, mumejeb faquon," the creature said.
"Ick," Madison said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Close wolf track tire iron silver blender holler to countryside," the thing articulated.
"Aye. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tekosejo contract phootopomit."
"Why don't you take your contract and shove it in your spinal cord?" Madison retorted.
The creature looked ignoble. "Bajowecy ghejudalun oobakool, luhejeg," it raved. "Toothesyk!" it continued.
"Your face is a toothesyk!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, ungainly creature; she was feeling unusually dapper. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or evangelist. If she had been carrying a Geiger counter, 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 Palin will be delighted to see you."
The creature pranced slightly and caught up. Then it rose up on its ancient legs, puffed out its skin and paraded repeatedly toward her.
For the first time, Madison had the urge to run, but her forehead was hurting and her legs refused to move.
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