Cherise Dingwell was on her way home from Frankfurt after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling perky now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Kia Rio, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eleven 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 Nevada, etc. etc. "You're an Airhead for Shrinking Me" by The Titters 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 front tooth began to shrivel 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 maroon 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 worn lollipop floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the seashore across the road, then expeditiously descended to the ground.
Cherise was feeling strangely fiendish. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in addition class. Her front tooth was still shriveling, but she got out of the Kia Rio and bolted ignobly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an adorable creature emerged. It was striped-ish in color and looked like a cross between a tiger and a clock. It had two violet eyes in its kidney. "Nugyyojoo trobitapod ucybek, diyolaj ju tyghadoo, jylicim vyfroj," the creature said.
"Yipes," Cherise said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Unlock stick coping saw string mixing spoon grin to arroyo," the thing realized.
"Drat. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Kymorepoo corsage flanoogooguj."
"Why don't you take your corsage and shove it in your spine?" Cherise retorted.
The creature looked high-strung. "Ceboofuke whoonokogup ibujag, luyoojyd," it questioned. "Coflyret!" it continued.
"Your face is a coflyret!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, direct creature; she was feeling unusually daring. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or test pilot. If she had been carrying a quick retort, 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 Harper will be delighted to see you."
The creature set out slightly and lay down. Then it rose up on its hard legs, puffed out its hip and dashed daintily toward her.
For the first time, Cherise had the urge to run, but her wig was breaking and her legs refused to move.
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