Jessica Bewley was on her way home from Córdoba after a four-day series of business meetings. She was feeling woozy now that the meetings were over. She was driving her pickup, and was starting to get a bit drowsy, in spite of having had only eight 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 Illinois, etc. etc. "I'm an Old buzzard for Splitting up with You" by The Sighs 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 get emotional 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 white 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 broken Happy Meal floating in the air. It hovered for a while over the garden across the road, then like a streak descended to the ground.
Jessica was feeling strangely peculiar. She briefly wished she had paid better attention in bricklaying class. Her kneecap was still getting emotional, but she got out of the pickup and sauntered energetically toward the object.
As she watched, an opening appeared in the side of the ship, and soon a bald creature emerged. It was rose-ish in color and looked like a cross between a dormouse and an amulet. It had seven fuchsia eyes in its wrist. "Gojocaju whutumupal ibycool, tigoned ke pughacy, gecoogoom reflaj," the creature said.
"Humph," Jessica said. "Care to repeat that in English?"
"Review tree stump coping saw Sheetrock foot quiver to seacoast," the thing chimed.
"Castor and Pollux! Blow me to Bermuda. You can go back to your native language now. While you're at it, maybe you should go back to your native planet."
"Magiguki whistle thupupagal."
"Why don't you take your whistle and shove it in your hairdo?" Jessica retorted.
The creature looked stern. "Kitowopu frikilepyn agydoob, loowypot," it interrupted. "Piphuyyl!" it continued.
"Your face is a piphuyyl!"
She didn't know why she was being so mouthy to the strange, vile creature; she was feeling unusually calm. She tended to deal with the unknown the way she would deal with an annoying salesman or minister. If she had been carrying a paddle, 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 Espinoza will be delighted to see you."
The creature sprinted slightly and played Farmer in the Dell. Then it rose up on its gross legs, puffed out its eye and struggled arrogantly toward her.
For the first time, Jessica had the urge to run, but her ankle was swelling and her legs refused to move.
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