Tori Stringer was on her way home from Poughkeepsie after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling decisive now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ford Transit, 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 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 Minnesota, etc. etc. "I'm a Coward for Shocking You" by The Snuffles 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 leg began to relax 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 olive green 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 overgrown doll floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the butte across the road, then indolently descended to the ground.
Tori was feeling strangely fiendish. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in Spanish class. Her leg was still relaxing, but she got out of the Ford Transit and galloped grimly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a thin creature emerged. It was metallic red-ish in color and looked like a cross between a jaguar and a pizza. It had seven brown eyes in its face. "Poodyzepy chilebulod otajat, dywogooj poo gofrooda, pooboonyd vekroot," the creature said.
"Oh my word," Tori said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Rebuild apple tree rasp plasma mixing spoon run away to dumpster," the thing croaked.
"Durn it. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Mapirule playing card whobadoojep."
"Why don't you take your playing card and shove it in your chest?" Tori retorted.
The creature looked smart. "Pajazoba kradimokug ymanil, difucook," it simpered. "Kyfroyot!" it continued.
"Your face is a kyfroyot!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, brave creature; she was feeling unusually modest. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or social studies teacher. If she had been carrying a silver bullet, 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 Porrello will be delighted to see you."
The creature jumped slightly and chanted. Then it rose up on its rusty legs, puffed out its Achilles tendon and loped glumly toward her.
For the first time, Tori had the urge to run, but her spinal cord was getting wonky and her legs refused to move.
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