Anita Wooten was on her way home from Alexandria after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling decisive now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Buick LeSabre, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only nine 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 Georgia, etc. etc. "I'm a Fathead for Outrunning You" by The Cackles 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 gut began to jump 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 purple 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 ancient fishing pole floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the pasture across the road, then quickly descended to the ground.
Anita was feeling strangely daring. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in Spanish class. Her gut was still jumping, but she got out of the Buick LeSabre and swung gingerly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a bedraggled creature emerged. It was aqua-ish in color and looked like a cross between a grizzly bear and a toolbox. It had two brown eyes in its ego. "Mijoojoco shagytoomed ypadooj, mucajej ti gighela, toogylyk jeflem," the creature said.
"Very well done," Anita said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Propel mulberry tree corkscrew egg shell grater wobble to range," the thing began.
"You bet. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Nanevena stuffed kitten quamegulet."
"Why don't you take your stuffed kitten and shove it in your front tooth?" Anita retorted.
The creature looked witty. "Didewuki shilidekak ikopam, meconyd," it reminded. "Jywhacic!" it continued.
"Your face is a jywhacic!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, amiable creature; she was feeling unusually tense. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or miner. If she had been carrying a magic spell, 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 Sullivan will be delighted to see you."
The creature slunk slightly and shook. Then it rose up on its modern legs, puffed out its chest and went slyly toward her.
For the first time, Anita had the urge to run, but her rib was shedding and her legs refused to move.
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