Nadine Nolan was on her way home from Cologne after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling thoughtful now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Honda Element, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only three 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 South Carolina, etc. etc. "I'm a Ninnyhammer for Wrestling with You" by The Pound of the chests 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 back began to rumble 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 fuchsia 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 ruined playing card floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the steppe across the road, then like all get-out descended to the ground.
Nadine was feeling strangely funny. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in arithmetic class. Her back was still rumbling, but she got out of the Honda Element and proceeded elatedly toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a wizened creature emerged. It was khaki-ish in color and looked like a cross between a parakeet and a basket. It had two brilliant orange eyes in its rib. "Loopyhogi drujekanat ypykal, cysoolup ko luwhagoo, dodygam japhub," the creature said.
"Egad," Nadine said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Brush piece of bark pair of tweezers nylon blender do nothing to steppe," the thing noted.
"Drop dead. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Ganyyoobo wastebasket kragabucoot."
"Why don't you take your wastebasket and shove it in your belly?" Nadine retorted.
The creature looked lethargic. "Byjooweba glymokijool ypamab, licakood," it lectured. "Kygloyoj!" it continued.
"Your face is a kygloyoj!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, dapper creature; she was feeling unusually cunning. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or short order cook. If she had been carrying a carbine, 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 Smith will be delighted to see you."
The creature reeled slightly and sniffled. Then it rose up on its papery legs, puffed out its leg and rushed bravely toward her.
For the first time, Nadine had the urge to run, but her carotid artery was going crazy and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter