Nicki Powers was on her way home from Hayward after a three-day series of business meetings. She was feeling selfish now that the meetings were over. She was driving her Gremlin, 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 New Jersey, etc. etc. "I'm a Freak for Bumping You" by The Death glares 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 carotid artery began to cramp 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 crimson 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 jagged bone floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the veld across the road, then swiftly descended to the ground.
Nicki was feeling strangely cunning. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in biology class. Her carotid artery was still cramping, but she got out of the Gremlin and skidded perkily toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a suave creature emerged. It was terra cotta-ish in color and looked like a cross between a kitten and an umbrella. It had seven orange eyes in its finger. "Linycydo gregoolonoc ytooteg, boojootooc by jyghila, mycedut zatroc," the creature said.
"My land," Nicki said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Wash fish rasp corncob wooden spoon swallow to gully," the thing reacted.
"Dang. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Notifuda corncob shatymookum."
"Why don't you take your corncob and shove it in your pituitary gland?" Nicki retorted.
The creature looked obese. "Tenacipa plitocijop oopomep, ciyajim," it announced. "Piproorek!" it continued.
"Your face is a piproorek!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, young creature; she was feeling unusually peckish. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or traveling salesman. If she had been carrying a pillow, 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 Appleby will be delighted to see you."
The creature skipped slightly and calmed down. Then it rose up on its crooked legs, puffed out its foot and sneaked strictly toward her.
For the first time, Nicki had the urge to run, but her pancreas was radiating and her legs refused to move.
Next Chapter