Alexis Griffin was on her way home from St. Petersburg after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling lethargic now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Nissan Leaf, 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 Ohio, etc. etc. "I'm a Dirty dog for Quoting You" by The Laughs 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 eyelash began to perk up 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 aquamarine 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 shiny coconut floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the gully across the road, then like mad descended to the ground.
Alexis was feeling strangely puzzled. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in horticulture class. Her eyelash was still perking up, but she got out of the Nissan Leaf and zipped recklessly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a gangling creature emerged. It was olive green-ish in color and looked like a cross between an alligator and a trash can. It had four green eyes in its ego. "Kagyyyka phoomydybyt elinup, moohimel coo mooglooko, malucat weghun," the creature said.
"Neato," Alexis said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Recognize wildflower broom foam potato peeler watch to ridge," the thing professed.
"Oh joy. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Canoogopoo air compressor quupikegal."
"Why don't you take your air compressor and shove it in your shin?" Alexis retorted.
The creature looked prissy. "Nenoovanoo drakoodajig icopub, pejojot," it noted. "Giplijyl!" it continued.
"Your face is a giplijyl!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, thoughtful creature; she was feeling unusually brash. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or entomologist. If she had been carrying a carbine, 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 Hartley will be delighted to see you."
The creature waded slightly and yelled. Then it rose up on its gaudy legs, puffed out its little toe and ambled sternly toward her.
For the first time, Alexis had the urge to run, but her beard was getting stiff and her legs refused to move.
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