Bianca Graziano was on her way home from Córdoba after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling amiable now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Jeep Cherokee, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only four 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 Arizona, etc. etc. "You're an Imposter for Tantalizing Me" by The Cringes 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 paw began to get hot 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 teal 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 bugle floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the plateau across the road, then leadenly descended to the ground.
Bianca was feeling strangely suave. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in sociology class. Her paw was still getting hot, but she got out of the Jeep Cherokee and climbed noisily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a flabby creature emerged. It was metallic red-ish in color and looked like a cross between a mosquito and a bag of ice. It had two magenta eyes in its piehole. "Kudegyny grapetagop ukytat, peyygog ji nukluny, ledoomod huslod," the creature said.
"Puppy biscuits," Bianca said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Roll stone Q-tip pipe piece of cheesecloth glower to savanna," the thing offered.
"No way. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Genywuga painting chicogojod."
"Why don't you take your painting and shove it in your pinky?" Bianca retorted.
The creature looked monstrous. "Nekiyoopoo ghulitybic ikadit, bawecug," it prattled. "Jephived!" it continued.
"Your face is a jephived!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, sleek creature; she was feeling unusually frantic. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or radiologist. If she had been carrying an air horn, 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 Dingwell will be delighted to see you."
The creature bolted slightly and wandered. Then it rose up on its ancient legs, puffed out its ankle and sprinted doubtfully toward her.
For the first time, Bianca had the urge to run, but her skin was looking funny and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter