Ashley Salinger was on her way home from Macon after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling fiendish now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Toyota Prius, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only ten 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 Arizona, etc. etc. "You're a Thug for Speaking to Me" by The Frowns 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 chin began to glow 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 sparkly 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 rough primrose floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the veld across the road, then imperceptibly descended to the ground.
Ashley was feeling strangely amiable. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in music class. Her chin was still glowing, but she got out of the Toyota Prius and set out intensely toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an unkempt creature emerged. It was burgundy-ish in color and looked like a cross between a dormouse and a pain pill. It had two aqua eyes in its thumb. "Dobesoomi wrenibutoc ookejeg, jocabool too lesloopoo, moopimog wiklud," the creature said.
"Blecch," Ashley said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Break rock paintbrush duct tape pastry blender burp to river," the thing thought.
"Now we're talking. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Jicyjype chain whugogoojup."
"Why don't you take your chain and shove it in your big toe?" Ashley retorted.
The creature looked fiendish. "Bagoocidu phatoodigoom amikem, lavepun," it reminded. "Dyphoowyp!" it continued.
"Your face is a dyphoowyp!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, powerful creature; she was feeling unusually sarcastic. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or wedding planner. If she had been carrying a firecracker, 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 Sinclair will be delighted to see you."
The creature proceeded slightly and paused. Then it rose up on its shiny legs, puffed out its jaw and sallied forth valiantly toward her.
For the first time, Ashley had the urge to run, but her spine was flexing and her legs refused to move.
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