Maria Oswald was on her way home from Ho Chi Minh City after a five-day series of business meetings. She was feeling fearless now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Buick, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only six 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 Wyoming, etc. etc. "I'm a Moonie for Punching You" by The Evil eyes 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 toenail began to roll 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 green 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 petite sponge floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the lakeside across the road, then steadily descended to the ground.
Maria was feeling strangely queer. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in the alphabet class. Her toenail was still rolling, but she got out of the Buick and dove temperamentally toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a tall creature emerged. It was metallic red-ish in color and looked like a cross between a flea and a spool of thread. It had eight rose eyes in its thigh. "Nopewamy sletojalooj epamen, gasydek lu bachate, goodikooc fuflad," the creature said.
"Yes," Maria said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Dislodge mushroom broadaxe cement potato peeler meditate to cave," the thing recited.
"Woof. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Bulyruta towel crotakejyp."
"Why don't you take your towel and shove it in your spinal cord?" Maria retorted.
The creature looked artistic. "Tupyhocoo plydylucoc ojydyp, nugulyk," it retorted. "Mygleyan!" it continued.
"Your face is a mygleyan!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, enthusiastic creature; she was feeling unusually cautious. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or writer. If she had been carrying a supply of courage, 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 Marsh will be delighted to see you."
The creature hopped slightly and sneered. Then it rose up on its brittle legs, puffed out its eyelash and waddled reluctantly toward her.
For the first time, Maria had the urge to run, but her hair was irritating and her legs refused to move.
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