Rosa Klein was on her way home from Palmdale after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling carefree now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Tesla Roadster, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only four 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 Florida, etc. etc. "I'm a Dope fiend for Enlightening You" by The Clenched fists 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 hangnail began to wiggle 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 carrot-orange 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 cookie floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the rainforest across the road, then gradually descended to the ground.
Rosa was feeling strangely peckish. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in hotel management class. Her hangnail was still wiggling, but she got out of the Tesla Roadster and traipsed later toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a wizened creature emerged. It was red-ish in color and looked like a cross between a kitten and a clock. It had three red eyes in its throat. "Nibywooje plecocoodyp egyjed, miyoonel me nucliboo, micacug refrag," the creature said.
"Holy moley," Rosa said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Pick acorn router chewing gum napkin vegetate to path," the thing groaned.
"Anyhoo. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Jegoowooloo stick kryledipyc."
"Why don't you take your stick and shove it in your rib?" Rosa retorted.
The creature looked sketchy. "Nodoojinu ghoobootipyk elylej, lohoojoot," it yammered. "Gyshujij!" it continued.
"Your face is a gyshujij!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, arrogant creature; she was feeling unusually humble. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or yoga instructor. If she had been carrying a Millwall brick, 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 South will be delighted to see you."
The creature stalked slightly and shivered. Then it rose up on its petite legs, puffed out its spine and walked suddenly toward her.
For the first time, Rosa had the urge to run, but her face was radiating and her legs refused to move.
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