Caleb Quintero was on his way home from Cheyenne after a four-day series of business meetings. He was feeling carefree now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Mercury Cougar, 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 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 Missouri, etc. etc. "I'm a Wuss for Rebuffing You" by The Power fists 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 little finger began to grow hair 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 orange 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 soft telephone floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the tundra across the road, then screamingly descended to the ground.
Caleb was feeling strangely frantic. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in communication class. His little finger was still growing hair, but he got out of the Mercury Cougar and trotted dolorously toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a roly-poly creature emerged. It was olive drab-ish in color and looked like a cross between a crab and a football. It had three orange eyes in its pride. "Magoorytu groolujogen akimig, lavojyc tu boklolu, nekynak zoophaj," the creature said.
"Ah," Caleb said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Duplicate egg shell bit of Elmer's glue foil garlic press clap to island," the thing griped.
"Yeehah. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Jinysypy Bible thatootilud."
"Why don't you take your Bible and shove it in your aorta?" Caleb retorted.
The creature looked sketchy. "Jynucooko flebagocaj epudej, tiyipon," it jeered. "Gaphygel!" it continued.
"Your face is a gaphygel!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, excitable creature; he was feeling unusually dumb. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or goldsmith. If he had been carrying a hand sanitizer, 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 McGregor will be delighted to see you."
The creature tramped slightly and huffed. Then it rose up on its musty legs, puffed out its bicep and scooted lickety-split toward him.
For the first time, Caleb had the urge to run, but his bicep was hissing and his legs refused to move.
Next Chapter