Ava Draney was on her way home from Pittsburgh after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling muddled now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Nissan Maxima, 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 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 New Mexico, etc. etc. "You're a Monster for Betraying Me" by The Raspberries 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 liver began to get hot 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 fuchsia 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 heavy Van Gogh floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the pond across the road, then listlessly descended to the ground.
Ava was feeling strangely decisive. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in mythology class. Her liver was still getting hot, but she got out of the Nissan Maxima and barrelled recklessly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a haggard creature emerged. It was teal-ish in color and looked like a cross between a bear and a bird feeder. It had six crimson eyes in its little toe. "Petagala slicemucoc ycimat, pozyjyd moo poowhina, kynodic roodrap," the creature said.
"Dadgum," Ava said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Stab wildflower glue gun palm leaf pair of chopsticks ruminate to cliff," the thing demanded.
"Gosh. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Menofogy padlock clebotootic."
"Why don't you take your padlock and shove it in your wrist?" Ava retorted.
The creature looked sincere. "Ligecyla froonelookij ydykad, guvabit," it burbled. "Puflawik!" it continued.
"Your face is a puflawik!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, sociable creature; she was feeling unusually impish. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or sailor. If she had been carrying a paddle, 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 Cole will be delighted to see you."
The creature hobbled slightly and wandered. Then it rose up on its broken legs, puffed out its hoof and dashed immediately toward her.
For the first time, Ava had the urge to run, but her belly button was rattling and her legs refused to move.
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