Electracademy

Chapter 41

   The small boat went up the river. It was a tiny fishing boat with only three people. To anyone watching it looked like a family enjoying a ride up the river. A man was sitting in the back of the boat with the engine, while the two teenagers sat in front of him. They looked like siblings with the same dark black hair and pale skin. Only they weren't siblings at all.
 
Owen and Vandailia sat beside each other in the small boat, holding hands. Vandailia was smiling broadly, looking at the town to the right. Owen was happy too, because Vandailia was happy and they were beside each other once again. Owen was staying with Vandailia for a week. Vandailia only agreed to it if they would stay at her hometown.
  
Vandailia's father looked at his daughter. "Vandailia, look what I brought." He said. Vandailia turned to look at him and smiled when she saw what he was holding. She reached forward to take the guitar case from him. Owen looked at her,confused. "I didn't know you could play guitar."
  
"I'm very shy about it." Vandailia said softly. "I don't like to play in front of people." Owen sat back, as he realized she was going to play for him. Vandailia carefully took the instrument from its case. She played a few notes to tune it. Then she looked at her father. "What should I play?"
  
He shrugged. "Whatever you want."
  
Vandailia was silent for a moment, then started playing the repetive rhythm of the song. Her father smiled once he recognized the song. Owen didn't, but he listened anyway.
   
Vandailia let the intro sink in and then started to sing the lyrics. She didn't need to see the lyrics, she knew them by heart. She rose her voice when she got to the chorus. "Country roads, take me home, to the place, I belong." Her father joined in, softly singing along. The duo sang together. When they got to the third and final verse, Owen took the small peice of paper from his pocket and saw the words they were singing written on it. The two of them repeated the chorus two last times, and then the song was over.
 
"That was beautiful." Owen said.
  
Vandailia smiled. "I've known that song since kindergarten." Owen could tell when she sang so deeply. "Is that a popular song here?" Owen asked.
  
Vandailia laughed. "Its an unofficial state song."
   
Owen looked at the small town on the west side of the river. "What's it like here?" He asked.
 
  Vandailia looked over the mountains in the distance. She directly quoted the first words of the song. "Almost Heaven."