Molly Snively was on her way home from Milan after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling cantankerous now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Dodge Neon, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only three 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 Alaska, etc. etc. "I'm a Ruffian for Smacking You" by The Puckers 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 leg began to roll 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 burned piece of candy floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the country meadow across the road, then at a dawdle descended to the ground.
Molly was feeling strangely cantankerous. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in engineering class. Her leg was still rolling, but she got out of the Dodge Neon and jogged haughtily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an alert creature emerged. It was red-ish in color and looked like a cross between a moose and a peace pipe. It had eight lime-green eyes in its liver. "Kykofala phygymagoot onyget, doocalic coo beglopa, poojybem veshooc," the creature said.
"Lord be praised," Molly said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Unfold fish heat gun taffy corkscrew burble to island," the thing purred.
"Darn. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Caboojujy bird bath glotogokit."
"Why don't you take your bird bath and shove it in your toupee?" Molly retorted.
The creature looked self-confident. "Doojirilo quybagumad odikit, dofecet," it hummed. "Mabrywyg!" it continued.
"Your face is a mabrywyg!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, agitated creature; she was feeling unusually puzzled. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or zoologist. If she had been carrying a can of Raid, 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 Bluestein will be delighted to see you."
The creature lumbered slightly and digested. Then it rose up on its fresh legs, puffed out its pride and swaggered wryly toward her.
For the first time, Molly had the urge to run, but her knee was twitching and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter