Lorna Lord was on her way home from Taipei after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling suave now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Buick LeSabre, 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 Minnesota, etc. etc. "You're a Sap for Appeasing Me" by The Sighs 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 paw began to cramp 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 amber 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 amazing paper towel floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the plateau across the road, then like mad descended to the ground.
Lorna was feeling strangely affable. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in civics class. Her paw was still cramping, but she got out of the Buick LeSabre and whirled excitedly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a handsome creature emerged. It was pea green-ish in color and looked like a cross between a coyote and a can of shaving cream. It had six lime-green eyes in its aorta. "Boonozynoo prinoodimum ooloopun, buzootap gy cuchudoo, cujulot robryp," the creature said.
"Golly whiz," Lorna said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Pierce flower broom root meat tenderizer chew to gully," the thing peeped.
"Eureka. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Poomovumi dog biscuit krutijikok."
"Why don't you take your dog biscuit and shove it in your vein?" Lorna retorted.
The creature looked zany. "Bopayoka drikecudyb ojibuj, noojagac," it asserted. "Papharim!" it continued.
"Your face is a papharim!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, dumb creature; she was feeling unusually timid. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or magistrate. If she had been carrying a dirk, 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 Ostrander will be delighted to see you."
The creature clambered slightly and whistled. Then it rose up on its electric legs, puffed out its back and tumbled truculently toward her.
For the first time, Lorna had the urge to run, but her cheek was petrifying and her legs refused to move.
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