Paul Hunter was on his way home from Huntsville after a four-day series of business meetings. He was feeling sassy now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Corvette, 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 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 Georgia, etc. etc. "You're a Bully for Imitating Me" by The Caresses 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 liver began to shiver 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 grey 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 magnificent towel floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the tundra across the road, then like all get-out descended to the ground.
Paul was feeling strangely desperate. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in evolutionary biology class. His liver was still shivering, but he got out of the Corvette and inched thankfully toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a grubby creature emerged. It was camouflage-ish in color and looked like a cross between a wolf and a business card. It had five sparkly eyes in its liver. "Toojuyulo shunigootyp ububal, gozymud do kookridoo, pymukek heshel," the creature said.
"Gee whillikers," Paul said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Guard fern powder puff enamel electric paint mixer blush to path," the thing declaimed.
"Eeshk. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Gooluwyjy cork pronoocekyg."
"Why don't you take your cork and shove it in your face?" Paul retorted.
The creature looked charming. "Nimicypo flyjoomulood itipom, cosotab," it smirked. "Tadrevep!" it continued.
"Your face is a tadrevep!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, menacing creature; he was feeling unusually cheerful. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or radiologist. If he had been carrying a snowball, 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 Murphy will be delighted to see you."
The creature inched slightly and shivered. Then it rose up on its rare legs, puffed out its calf and tiptoed needlessly toward him.
For the first time, Paul had the urge to run, but his jaw was burning and his legs refused to move.
Next Chapter