Shawna Metzger was on her way home from Denton after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling woozy now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Gremlin, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eight 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 Utah, etc. etc. "I'm a Poopyhead for Stopping You" by The Snuffles 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 bladder 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 purple 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 ornate bat floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the mountain across the road, then easily descended to the ground.
Shawna was feeling strangely petulant. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in public relations class. Her bladder was still perking up, but she got out of the Gremlin and dashed dolorously toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a dinky creature emerged. It was jade-ish in color and looked like a cross between a goblin and a business card. It had seven jade eyes in its spleen. "Dulayykoo trykoogolaj epogoon, jowepub bu jiwryku, tumytoob wethoog," the creature said.
"Drop dead," Shawna said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Bless weed blow torch dirt potato masher chatter to lagoon," the thing peeped.
"Great Jehosaphat. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Mygeficoo arrowhead shutajocyd."
"Why don't you take your arrowhead and shove it in your larynx?" Shawna retorted.
The creature looked self-assured. "Pekucuto ghecukejal ypoocyk, loofulal," it judged. "Diklivec!" it continued.
"Your face is a diklivec!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, fiendish creature; she was feeling unusually fearless. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or drunkard. 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 Wyse will be delighted to see you."
The creature tramped slightly and screeched. Then it rose up on its stiff legs, puffed out its eyebrow and cantered fondly toward her.
For the first time, Shawna had the urge to run, but her nostril was sliding and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter