Maybie Griffin was on her way home from Kampala after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling proud now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Chevy Vega, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only ten 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 Iowa, etc. etc. "I'm a Hell-raiser for Apologizing to You" by The Kisses 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 expand 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 pink 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 hand-made bagpipe floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the gully across the road, then heavily descended to the ground.
Maybie was feeling strangely selfish. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in hygiene class. Her kneecap was still expanding, but she got out of the Chevy Vega and struggled confidently toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a plain creature emerged. It was navy blue-ish in color and looked like a cross between a jellyfish and a stick of gum. It had five chocolate brown eyes in its thyroid gland. "Mikoogoota croopipakyn ocanom, mucamam pe gookramo, tidepoon jifloc," the creature said.
"My word," Maybie said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Check bird's nest scythe tar strainer come to to butte," the thing voiced.
"Far out, man. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Nigoryny peach protydoocij."
"Why don't you take your peach and shove it in your hoof?" Maybie retorted.
The creature looked weary. "Mojovabe prybupytub atulul, gewagac," it sneered. "Gishuzim!" it continued.
"Your face is a gishuzim!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, cautious creature; she was feeling unusually funny. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or news reporter. If she had been carrying a sickle, 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 Wagner will be delighted to see you."
The creature zipped slightly and winced. Then it rose up on its gleaming legs, puffed out its hair and sneaked resignedly toward her.
For the first time, Maybie had the urge to run, but her hip was getting tired and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter