Anatoly Garvey was on his way home from Newark after a five-day series of business meetings. He was feeling tipsy now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Chevy Vega, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only seven 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 Nebraska, etc. etc. "I'm a Baby for Hugging You" by The Glares 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 chest began to shed 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 polka dotted 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 excellent flag floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the countryside across the road, then deliberately descended to the ground.
Anatoly was feeling strangely daring. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in physiology class. His chest was still shedding, but he got out of the Chevy Vega and flew hopefully toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a petite creature emerged. It was olive drab-ish in color and looked like a cross between a cow and a tablet computer. It had seven beige eyes in its chin. "Noodasipu slagonoogid ocydan, tyryjoom ku mookroodu, kajoobum hygrut," the creature said.
"Oh my," Anatoly said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Seize feather wire cutter cotton cheesecloth apologize to glen," the thing clarified.
"Oof. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Mupeyyce microphone kregookameb."
"Why don't you take your microphone and shove it in your vein?" Anatoly retorted.
The creature looked urbane. "Memaroby slenulojam egootib, kirikit," it enunciated. "Puwhyvyj!" it continued.
"Your face is a puwhyvyj!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, lazy creature; he was feeling unusually irate. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or curmudgeon. If he had been carrying a charm, 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 Cochran will be delighted to see you."
The creature padded slightly and shivered. Then it rose up on its porcelain legs, puffed out its nose and zoomed zestily toward him.
For the first time, Anatoly had the urge to run, but his thorax was bulging and his legs refused to move.
Next Chapter