Hannah Lyman was on her way home from Torrance after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling merry now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ford pickup, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only three 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 Tennessee, etc. etc. "You're a Big oaf for Embarrassing Me" by The Frowns 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 collarbone began to go crazy 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 golden 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 ancient accordion floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the battlefield across the road, then apathetically descended to the ground.
Hannah was feeling strangely impish. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in baking class. Her collarbone was still going crazy, but she got out of the Ford pickup and galumphed angrily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a little creature emerged. It was indigo-ish in color and looked like a cross between a raven and a ticket. It had five olive drab eyes in its adrenal gland. "Cypasidoo ghimugikood abutad, pugulyl do kukrypu, moomupuj cicrot," the creature said.
"Neato," Hannah said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Rub bird's nest eyelash curler tar meat thermometer fulminate to badlands area," the thing maintained.
"Ah. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Joopisice crystal ball wroolugelyn."
"Why don't you take your crystal ball and shove it in your chest?" Hannah retorted.
The creature looked weary. "Milozocu krooletookuc omacal, kijigon," it acknowledged. "Jooquazed!" it continued.
"Your face is a jooquazed!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, sober creature; she was feeling unusually irate. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or tattoo artist. If she had been carrying a hedge trimmer, 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 Briggs will be delighted to see you."
The creature slumped slightly and chewed. Then it rose up on its sleek legs, puffed out its head and careened deftly toward her.
For the first time, Hannah had the urge to run, but her arm was reddening and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter