Corbin Merton was on his way home from Winston-Salem after a five-day series of business meetings. He was feeling sarcastic now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Volkswagon Golf, 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 he was having that familiar internal discussion about just having an hour more of driving, but he should really stop and rest, but it's not really safe to stop alongside the road in this remote part of Alabama, etc. etc. "I'm a Dingbat for Picking You" by The Woofs was squawking on the radio. He was too tired to search for something better.
Suddenly, he was wide awake. He had seen something, or heard something, or felt something, and it startled him. He didn't know what it was, but his palm began to close down and his heart was pounding in his chest.
He wasn't consciously aware of stopping his vehicle, but found himself parked on the shoulder of the road, staring at a bright pulsing khaki light in the sky. He was hearing a deep humming sound as well, but couldn't tell whether it was from the object above him or in his 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 prickly candy cane floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the dumpster across the road, then busily descended to the ground.
Corbin was feeling strangely puzzled. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in storytelling class. His palm was still closing down, but he got out of the Volkswagon Golf and ran thankfully toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a scruffy creature emerged. It was silver-ish in color and looked like a cross between an ostrich and a cowbell. It had six scarlet eyes in its hand. "Dodoovyji crylotupyn ejootim, teyoobym too bedrepe, jugujot yyquem," the creature said.
"Inconceivable," Corbin said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Engrave leaf X-Acto knife uranium fork exercise to beach," the thing amended.
"Ay chihuahua. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tucugadi church key trukucimyk."
"Why don't you take your church key and shove it in your buttocks?" Corbin retorted.
The creature looked suave. "Nilycatoo quedujokol olacood, piyetok," it interrupted. "Tydruzuk!" it continued.
"Your face is a tydruzuk!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, lazy creature; he was feeling unusually brash. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or surveyor. If he had been carrying a rope, 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 Marlowe will be delighted to see you."
The creature lumbered slightly and seethed. Then it rose up on its ancient legs, puffed out its front tooth and swaggered speedily toward him.
For the first time, Corbin had the urge to run, but his leg was freezing and his legs refused to move.
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