Mason Ellington was on his way home from Boulder after a four-day series of business meetings. He was feeling daring now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Dodge Neon, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only nine 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 Hawaii, etc. etc. "You're a Nerd for Satisfying Me" by The Chortles 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 jaw began to undulate 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 green 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 wet cracker floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the cave across the road, then at a creep descended to the ground.
Mason was feeling strangely drowsy. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in mathematics class. His jaw was still undulating, but he got out of the Dodge Neon and inched uneasily toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a wizened creature emerged. It was black-ish in color and looked like a cross between a weasel and a tissue. It had two periwinkle eyes in its throat. "Koceyooba klujibunool edacej, cezekuc koo nuprooni, tytujoot hislyn," the creature said.
"Dadgum," Mason said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Compress acorn wrench cookie dough spatula purr to grassland," the thing peeped.
"Marvelous. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Doceyoce antenna slynytubin."
"Why don't you take your antenna and shove it in your hoof?" Mason retorted.
The creature looked fuzzy. "Boolevomu drecubudeg ykoobeg, cevynal," it stormed. "Macliyil!" it continued.
"Your face is a macliyil!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, gregarious creature; he was feeling unusually cheerful. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or village idiot. If he had been carrying a howitzer, 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 Saint Pierre will be delighted to see you."
The creature sprinted slightly and paced. Then it rose up on its golden legs, puffed out its hangnail and flounced impatiently toward him.
For the first time, Mason had the urge to run, but his forehead was exploding and his legs refused to move.
Next Chapter