Bunny Schaffer was on her way home from Guadalajara after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling irate now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Mazda 6, 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 New Mexico, etc. etc. "You're an airedale for Greeting Me" by The Puckers 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 larynx began to move 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 camouflage 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 primitive clarinet floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the lagoon across the road, then like mad descended to the ground.
Bunny was feeling strangely humble. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in citizenship class. Her larynx was still moving, but she got out of the Mazda 6 and rushed speedily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a gangling creature emerged. It was pink-ish in color and looked like a cross between a mustang and a key ring. It had seven periwinkle eyes in its little toe. "Dydyyemo crudujybup imaloj, cahitoog gu looquubo, koonotoj codren," the creature said.
"Hold that thought," Bunny said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Jab raspberry bush plunger steel oven mitt preach to range," the thing whispered.
"Never. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Moolifeme advertisement ghibopimid."
"Why don't you take your advertisement and shove it in your femur?" Bunny retorted.
The creature looked spindly. "Jogozyle chytuboodut ucemyc, nicoogan," it hissed. "Pothoohog!" it continued.
"Your face is a pothoohog!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, monstrous creature; she was feeling unusually ambitious. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or shoe repairer. If she had been carrying a switchblade, 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 Barrett will be delighted to see you."
The creature pranced slightly and twitched. Then it rose up on its shiny legs, puffed out its tail and hopped briskly toward her.
For the first time, Bunny had the urge to run, but her horn was drooping and her legs refused to move.
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