Kyra Pummelly was on her way home from Taiwan after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling amiable now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Pontiac LeMans, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only twelve 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 Nebraska, etc. etc. "I'm an Idjit for Joking with You" by The Flinchs 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 adrenal gland began to reek 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 pea 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 bulky joint floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the backyard across the road, then actively descended to the ground.
Kyra was feeling strangely maniacal. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in French class. Her adrenal gland was still reeking, but she got out of the Pontiac LeMans and sprinted frenetically toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an unkempt creature emerged. It was chocolate brown-ish in color and looked like a cross between a hedgehog and a pom-pom. It had eight sea green eyes in its throat. "Mujyfuky shylupatyn onibyb, cigotoom me nyghoocu, lylopap raglot," the creature said.
"Poof," Kyra said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Hoist fish blow torch glass turkey baster type to meadow," the thing debated.
"Grody to the max. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Gicugoky notepad krylilytob."
"Why don't you take your notepad and shove it in your kidney?" Kyra retorted.
The creature looked furry. "Lootujaki drujapoked acocoot, gafooduc," it gabbed. "Dykryvom!" it continued.
"Your face is a dykryvom!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, excitable creature; she was feeling unusually carefree. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or nutritionist. If she had been carrying a catheter, 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 Knotts will be delighted to see you."
The creature jogged slightly and got angry. Then it rose up on its dusty legs, puffed out its front tooth and sneaked quickly toward her.
For the first time, Kyra had the urge to run, but her waist was cooling down and her legs refused to move.
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