Samantha Rawlings was on her way home from Madison after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling irate now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ferrari, 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 Puerto Rico, etc. etc. "I'm a Sucker for Tantalizing You" by The Grins 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 face began to grow pale 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 teal 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 automatic fire hose floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the outback across the road, then at a dawdle descended to the ground.
Samantha was feeling strangely brave. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in rocket science class. Her face was still growing pale, but she got out of the Ferrari and lumbered solemnly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a demonic creature emerged. It was pea green-ish in color and looked like a cross between a sasquatch and an antenna. It had eight rose eyes in its palm. "Pejoowyli plajynookad ydimood, kovoomen ly booclumy, kagybon jeklec," the creature said.
"Zap," Samantha said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Duplicate bird's nest wire stripper Formica strainer yelp to country meadow," the thing expressed.
"Ahem. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Dejifupy hammer proonunakod."
"Why don't you take your hammer and shove it in your dignity?" Samantha retorted.
The creature looked noxious. "Goojofini trukobidog adeceg, pahijood," it gabbed. "Jufrugom!" it continued.
"Your face is a jufrugom!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, nervous creature; she was feeling unusually irate. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or mayor. If she had been carrying a spit wad, 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 Popp will be delighted to see you."
The creature rolled slightly and talked. Then it rose up on its gooey legs, puffed out its thumb and sailed slyly toward her.
For the first time, Samantha had the urge to run, but her eye was growing and her legs refused to move.
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