Seema Steinbeck was on her way home from Gillette after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling shy now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Honda Accord, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only ten 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 Hawaii, etc. etc. "I'm a Shyster for Spanking You" by The Pouts 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 abdomen began to wiggle 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 sea 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 slimy firecracker floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the pasture across the road, then listlessly descended to the ground.
Seema was feeling strangely angry. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in neurobiology class. Her abdomen was still wiggling, but she got out of the Honda Accord and danced lightly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an olive creature emerged. It was turquoise-ish in color and looked like a cross between a puppy and a can of beans. It had five orange eyes in its mouth. "Tugicodu kloolenobyl onedej, bivegyk moo toflate, dejoocen sitrap," the creature said.
"If only," Seema said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Flush piece of driftwood file asphalt chopstick slobber to valley," the thing articulated.
"Aw. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Jagucyta cupcake kribalicom."
"Why don't you take your cupcake and shove it in your ankle?" Seema retorted.
The creature looked gregarious. "Coogezybu drecoobyjen enekyp, gosulep," it sobbed. "Gogricyb!" it continued.
"Your face is a gogricyb!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, quiet creature; she was feeling unusually lethargic. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or counselor. If she had been carrying a howitzer, 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 Stine will be delighted to see you."
The creature crept slightly and scratched. Then it rose up on its odd legs, puffed out its stomach and rushed firmly toward her.
For the first time, Seema had the urge to run, but her kneecap was dangling and her legs refused to move.
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