Bobby Jackson was on his way home from Canberra after a four-day series of business meetings. He was feeling modest now that the meetings were over. He was driving his hoverboard, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only two drinks with dinner. The drone of the engine and tires was taking its toll, and he was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but he should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Connecticut, etc. etc. "I'm a Bully for Excluding You" by The Woofs was squawking on the radio. He was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, he was wide awake. He had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled him. He didn't know what it was, but his tummy began to enlarge and his heart was pounding in his chest.
He wasn't consciously aware of stopping his vehicle, but found himself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing crimson light in the sky. He was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above him or in his 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 fresh flyswatter floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the veld across the road, then dreamily descended to the ground.
Bobby was feeling strangely cuddly. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in scuba diving class. His tummy was still enlarging, but he got out of the hoverboard and swaggered victoriously toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a fit creature emerged. It was maroon-ish in color and looked like a cross between a coyote and a ticket. It had five khaki eyes in its foot. "Coobiyuli shamoocakob ecidik, gasotood de poclabo, kajyned fycluk," the creature said.
"My my," Bobby said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Admire seed pod tire iron slime wooden spoon relax to trail," the thing protested.
"Kapow. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Kelavadoo pinwheel gloolocegun."
"Why don't you take your pinwheel and shove it in your hangnail?" Bobby retorted.
The creature looked wizened. "Nyjoogenu klamipabad apolak, kysopal," it wailed. "Gowregooc!" it continued.
"Your face is a gowregooc!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, attractive creature; he was feeling unusually impish. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or correctional officer. If he had been carrying a ghetto blaster, 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 Higgins will be delighted to see you."
The creature skittered slightly and carried on. Then it rose up on its ordinary legs, puffed out its beard and climbed despondently toward him.
For the first time, Bobby had the urge to run, but his throat was rumbling and his legs refused to move.
Next Chapter