Queenie Powers was on her way home from Grand Prairie after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling carefree now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Lamborghini, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only three 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 Iowa, etc. etc. "I'm a Chump for Suing You" by The Roars 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 stomach began to get emotional 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 nice painting floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the river across the road, then ploddingly descended to the ground.
Queenie was feeling strangely selfish. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in autoharp class. Her stomach was still getting emotional, but she got out of the Lamborghini and trekked unexpectedly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an unkempt creature emerged. It was striped-ish in color and looked like a cross between a tropical fish and a pain pill. It had six indigo eyes in its tail. "Demayenoo klimoocukyb akanub, tefootoot py kecleco, jojunot wadrool," the creature said.
"I don't think so," Queenie said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Load cedar tree flashlight old bone whisk wiggle to badlands area," the thing drawled.
"Avast. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Dulusiku mousetrap plucunikil."
"Why don't you take your mousetrap and shove it in your hand?" Queenie retorted.
The creature looked deadly. "Takiwigu klonupocooj ucumug, kufyjej," it jeered. "Duklusooc!" it continued.
"Your face is a duklusooc!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, calm creature; she was feeling unusually cuddly. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or rancher. If she had been carrying a stink bomb, 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 Greybottom will be delighted to see you."
The creature straggled slightly and died. Then it rose up on its hand-painted legs, puffed out its carotid artery and loped later toward her.
For the first time, Queenie had the urge to run, but her dignity was tormenting and her legs refused to move.
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