Meghan Velasquez was on her way home from Corpus Christi after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling calm now that the meetings were over. She was driving her U-Haul, 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 Montana, etc. etc. "You're a Turkey for Baffling Me" by The Gasps 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 ego began to turn blue 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 aquamarine 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 gleaming flash drive floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the hill across the road, then idly descended to the ground.
Meghan was feeling strangely thoughtful. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in Greek class. Her ego was still turning blue, but she got out of the U-Haul and tramped noisily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a filthy creature emerged. It was periwinkle-ish in color and looked like a cross between a hog and a gun. It had two salmon eyes in its piehole. "Lobujoodu choomimytom omudoog, cuzapat dy tifloola, poonydom yooklak," the creature said.
"Goodness," Meghan said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Hack tree chainsaw sea shell dull knife cough to mesa," the thing murmured.
"Sieg Heil. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tebuyuno saddle chodunoonool."
"Why don't you take your saddle and shove it in your toupee?" Meghan retorted.
The creature looked solitary. "Bacyfono crigijetam onagaj, johumen," it scoffed. "Jashozol!" it continued.
"Your face is a jashozol!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, enchanting creature; she was feeling unusually lethargic. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or auctioneer. If she had been carrying a knife, 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 Henry will be delighted to see you."
The creature skittered slightly and froze. Then it rose up on its crooked legs, puffed out its heel and straggled hopelessly toward her.
For the first time, Meghan had the urge to run, but her leg was stiffening and her legs refused to move.
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