David Campbell was on his way home from Manchester after a five-day series of business meetings. He was feeling furious now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Harley, 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 he was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but he should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Connecticut, etc. etc. "You're a Flake for Recoiling from Me" by The Cheers was squawking on the radio. He was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, he was wide awake. He had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled him. He didn't know what it was, but his skull began to stiffen and his heart was pounding in his chest.
He wasn't consciously aware of stopping his vehicle, but found himself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing chartreuse light in the sky. He was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above him or in his 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 hefty ruler floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the hayfield across the road, then smoothly descended to the ground.
David was feeling strangely sassy. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in manners class. His skull was still stiffening, but he got out of the Harley and loped accidentally toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a sexy creature emerged. It was violet-ish in color and looked like a cross between a muskrat and a crutch. It had two azure eyes in its brain. "Memoozoci ghyjylypak ookoogam, bucojug ja beplymu, jytadac coodroop," the creature said.
"Leapin' lizards," David said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Swat fallen tree powder puff linoleum meat thermometer chatter to meadow," the thing reasoned.
"Very funny. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Kobivecy picture tryjebejyk."
"Why don't you take your picture and shove it in your tongue?" David retorted.
The creature looked cunning. "Camahydi pregebebooj ybooboot, gywoodyp," it analyzed. "Doothoogun!" it continued.
"Your face is a doothoogun!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, conceited creature; he was feeling unusually amiable. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or philatelist. If he had been carrying a torpedo, 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 Jetson will be delighted to see you."
The creature capered slightly and shrugged. Then it rose up on its smumpy legs, puffed out its rib and galloped vacantly toward him.
For the first time, David had the urge to run, but his knee was lining up and his legs refused to move.
Next Chapter