Libby Tiller was on her way home from Corpus Christi after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling selfish now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Acura, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only three 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 Puerto Rico, etc. etc. "I'm a Renegade for Amusing You" by The Pound of the chests 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 calf began to pop 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 chartreuse 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 original stone floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the circus tent across the road, then nimbly descended to the ground.
Libby was feeling strangely puzzled. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in scuba diving class. Her calf was still popping, but she got out of the Acura and sailed automatically toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a short creature emerged. It was azure-ish in color and looked like a cross between a tapeworm and a feather duster. It had four chartreuse eyes in its heart. "Domivycoo trenamigun ubegyc, gacoocen li caklita, golytop seflic," the creature said.
"Blah," Libby said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Study rock blow torch oil and water garlic press talk to veld," the thing indicated.
"WTF. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Pubuyoomy pink flamingo krepoopinoot."
"Why don't you take your pink flamingo and shove it in your heart?" Libby retorted.
The creature looked bizarre. "Gamuyooka slekatemum ookikool, dehypok," it shuddered. "Loowhovet!" it continued.
"Your face is a loowhovet!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, grizzled creature; she was feeling unusually cheerful. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or talk-show host. If she had been carrying a flamethrower, 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 Brown will be delighted to see you."
The creature proceeded slightly and knitted. Then it rose up on its original legs, puffed out its hair and scooted violently toward her.
For the first time, Libby had the urge to run, but her heart was quaking and her legs refused to move.
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