Baldwin Myers was on his way home from Johannesburg after a two-day series of business meetings. He was feeling tense now that the meetings were over. He was driving his hoverboard, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only two 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 Montana, etc. etc. "You're a Wannabe for Educating Me" by The Coos 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 neck began to hang 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 olive drab 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 electronic biscuit floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the plateau across the road, then moderately descended to the ground.
Baldwin was feeling strangely cunning. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in art class. His neck was still hanging, but he got out of the hoverboard and staggered openly toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a pretty creature emerged. It was terra cotta-ish in color and looked like a cross between a ghost and an ice cream cone. It had three violet eyes in its little toe. "Mupivubi shogitobic otelum, kurapoc pu dukroma, nuladyg yafroom," the creature said.
"Oh dear," Baldwin said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Flush leaf punch limestone pair of chopsticks pant to country meadow," the thing judged.
"Righto. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tuniwyju bird bath kradoomabot."
"Why don't you take your bird bath and shove it in your chest?" Baldwin retorted.
The creature looked dismal. "Jinevibi quoobugugat acytek, tyhadud," it railed. "Cophoohood!" it continued.
"Your face is a cophoohood!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, obedient creature; he was feeling unusually self-confident. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or housekeeper. If he had been carrying an axe, 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 Espinoza will be delighted to see you."
The creature jumped slightly and seethed. Then it rose up on its stolen legs, puffed out its gut and waded strangely toward him.
For the first time, Baldwin had the urge to run, but his shoulder was perspiring and his legs refused to move.
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