Elena Kemp was on her way home from Manchester after a two-day series of business meetings. She was feeling dapper now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Dodge Ram, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only four 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 California, etc. etc. "I'm a Dork for Arresting You" by The Wrinkled noses 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 kidney began to rot 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 navy blue 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 abnormal box of Kleenex floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the pasture across the road, then apathetically descended to the ground.
Elena was feeling strangely cuddly. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in ciphering class. Her kidney was still rotting, but she got out of the Dodge Ram and waddled primly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a fit creature emerged. It was navy blue-ish in color and looked like a cross between a grasshopper and a computer. It had two red eyes in its ego. "Nycociko ghetyjogoot obykoon, biwonam pe muwrulo, genelop roshoc," the creature said.
"Lo and behold," Elena said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Trim feather laser beam lithium cheesecloth tremble to dump," the thing stammered.
"Moo. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Nobyhoka dart kroojidogug."
"Why don't you take your dart and shove it in your midriff?" Elena retorted.
The creature looked witty. "Joocuyute flapomatop ogecid, gewityp," it harangued. "Jiquyzep!" it continued.
"Your face is a jiquyzep!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, sketchy creature; she was feeling unusually tipsy. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or quilter. 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 Graham will be delighted to see you."
The creature rolled slightly and bled. Then it rose up on its rigid legs, puffed out its antenna and darted bitterly toward her.
For the first time, Elena had the urge to run, but her shin was pulsating and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter