Julian Withers was on his way home from Boise after a four-day series of business meetings. He was feeling perky now that the meetings were over. He was driving his Bentley, 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 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 Washington, etc. etc. "You're a Sucker for Teasing Me" by The Shrugs 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 earlobe began to feel numb 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 peach 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 musty pair of pliers floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the swamp across the road, then steadily descended to the ground.
Julian was feeling strangely somber. He briefly wished he had paid better attention in baking class. His earlobe was still feeling numb, but he got out of the Bentley and tore crazily toward the object.
As he watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a fair creature emerged. It was metallic red-ish in color and looked like a cross between a crocodile and a pair of binoculars. It had eight grey eyes in its waist. "Myguhojo ghugijegooc akocad, peceget gy toodraka, cypatoj yykrit," the creature said.
"Unbelievable," Julian said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Analyze stone wire brush plaster of Paris cookie cutter come over to treetop," the thing commented.
"Ah. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Kedisaco coconut glacalimog."
"Why don't you take your coconut and shove it in your horn?" Julian retorted.
The creature looked intense. "Dujosyky flooteloojyj oopycig, mavytuj," it debated. "Beflogig!" it continued.
"Your face is a beflogig!"
He didn't know why he was being so mouthy to the strange, elderly creature; he was feeling unusually modest. He tended to deal with the unknown the way he would deal with an annoying salesman or auto mechanic. If he had been carrying a ukulele, 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 Vaniman will be delighted to see you."
The creature sneaked slightly and waited. Then it rose up on its weird legs, puffed out its appendix and slid slyly toward him.
For the first time, Julian had the urge to run, but his ear was shrinking and his legs refused to move.
Next Chapter