Amber Miles was on her way home from London after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling peculiar now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Cadillac, 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 Mississippi, etc. etc. "You're a Monkey for Recoiling from Me" by The Sneers 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 thigh began to quiver 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 salmon 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 gooey tissue floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the arroyo across the road, then chop-chop descended to the ground.
Amber was feeling strangely impish. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in Russian class. Her thigh was still quivering, but she got out of the Cadillac and barrelled demurely toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a tiny creature emerged. It was striped-ish in color and looked like a cross between a grizzly bear and a paper bag. It had two polka dotted eyes in its belly. "Gokoohooma brimutojuc umycook, geselej da moodragi, pykadeg viclook," the creature said.
"Bingo," Amber said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Toss bear track utility knife yarn spatula tread water to creek," the thing shrieked.
"Eek. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Boobegote Rubik's cube pronalynoon."
"Why don't you take your Rubik's cube and shove it in your collarbone?" Amber retorted.
The creature looked lethargic. "Godyjota prepybyjeb ynipip, kojikool," it interpreted. "Gushisoop!" it continued.
"Your face is a gushisoop!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, merry creature; she was feeling unusually dapper. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or barista. If she had been carrying a Nerf bat, 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 Hopkins will be delighted to see you."
The creature lumbered slightly and exhaled. Then it rose up on its hefty legs, puffed out its tooth and strolled cautiously toward her.
For the first time, Amber had the urge to run, but her pride was pulsating and her legs refused to move.
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