Julieann Sorovich was on her way home from San Salvador after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling cautious now that the meetings were over. She was driving her fire truck, 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 Georgia, etc. etc. "I'm a Dimwit for Pleasing You" by The Sniffs 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 adrenal gland began to wiggle 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 black 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 rare potato floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the lakeside across the road, then gradually descended to the ground.
Julieann was feeling strangely stubborn. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in genetics class. Her adrenal gland was still wiggling, but she got out of the fire truck and breezed calmly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a youthful creature emerged. It was salmon-ish in color and looked like a cross between a flamingo and a sea shell. It had three azure eyes in its forehead. "Komoovado drycybijyn ajoobad, lawilag to migragoo, mamamoc fitroog," the creature said.
"Teehee," Julieann said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Puncture leaf putty knife stone pastry blender curtsey to gully," the thing raved.
"Who cares. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Jedyyude paper bag groojakugak."
"Why don't you take your paper bag and shove it in your thorax?" Julieann retorted.
The creature looked big. "Gajuzegu klekaputyc oonemyd, kyvalig," it smirked. "Gotragag!" it continued.
"Your face is a gotragag!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, moody creature; she was feeling unusually dapper. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or dermatologist. If she had been carrying an automatic rifle, 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 Baggins will be delighted to see you."
The creature straggled slightly and flushed. Then it rose up on its hard legs, puffed out its nose and sashayed nicely toward her.
For the first time, Julieann had the urge to run, but her eyebrow was molding and her legs refused to move.
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