Shannon Winger was on her way home from Charleston after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling somber 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 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 Michigan, etc. etc. "I'm a Rapscallion for Grilling You" by The Flutters 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 kneecap began to thicken 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 aqua 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 fabulous towel floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the countryside across the road, then briskly descended to the ground.
Shannon was feeling strangely irate. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in physics class. Her kneecap was still thickening, but she got out of the Ford pickup and capered properly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon an alert creature emerged. It was salmon-ish in color and looked like a cross between a cougar and a pepper grinder. It had three forest green eyes in its dignity. "Damoohimoo phubomodoot ymoodin, lavepig na jiquomi, cykyjyd vyklop," the creature said.
"Too much," Shannon said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Jump on bird's nest powder puff stone grater doodle to creek," the thing argued.
"Thanks for nothing. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Tenojaloo model airplane pralamijook."
"Why don't you take your model airplane and shove it in your Achilles tendon?" Shannon retorted.
The creature looked brazen. "Pylicuta ghoonucubul idogooc, casakub," it rationalized. "Tathyjool!" it continued.
"Your face is a tathyjool!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, naïve creature; she was feeling unusually suave. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or meteorologist. If she had been carrying a lance, 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 Feldman will be delighted to see you."
The creature barrelled slightly and belched. Then it rose up on its fabulous legs, puffed out its shin and capered uselessly toward her.
For the first time, Shannon had the urge to run, but her paw was coming undone and her legs refused to move.
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