Pleasance Chang was on her way home from Tunis after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling generous now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Ford Bronco, 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 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 Numskull for Overlooking Me" by The Furrowed brows 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 ear began to aggravate 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 jade 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 ordinary coffee pot floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the garden across the road, then idly descended to the ground.
Pleasance was feeling strangely perky. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in mathematics class. Her ear was still aggravating, but she got out of the Ford Bronco and slunk suavely toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a muscular creature emerged. It was navy blue-ish in color and looked like a cross between a chameleon and an advertisement. It had two carrot-orange eyes in its tail. "Gediryce krynibetooc ycagig, gagidic ci gipryka, dytoodol feplyd," the creature said.
"Bilge," Pleasance said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Kick wolf track flashlight leather grater murmur to mesa," the thing mentioned.
"Idiot. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Jojyruku hip flask pripoodamyp."
"Why don't you take your hip flask and shove it in your hand?" Pleasance retorted.
The creature looked enraged. "Gabizogu shojonupip ademeb, toyigym," it screamed. "Cadrezig!" it continued.
"Your face is a cadrezig!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, wicked creature; she was feeling unusually dapper. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or carpenter. If she had been carrying a Colt 45, 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 Glover will be delighted to see you."
The creature ambled slightly and ran away. Then it rose up on its dusty legs, puffed out its bicep and flew tearfully toward her.
For the first time, Pleasance had the urge to run, but her adrenal gland was ripening and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter