Divided Road (The Road to Rocktoberfest 2024)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER ONE

Owen ran his bow across the strings of his fiddle, playing the last lingering note in the song they’d just finished in a slow diminuendo to silence. Then he took a step back for Clay to do his spiel.

“Thanks for the wonderful warm welcome!” Clay grinned at their appreciative audience. “Nothing less than I’d expect from the punters here at The Taniwha!”

The crowd cheered, and the guy behind the bar whistled. The pub owner and Clay had a mutual friend who’d asked the band to play at short notice that night to cover a cancellation. Most of their gigs were of that ilk, but not all, and if filling in got them noticed, who cared? Flightless had a reputation for being easy to work with and inexpensive. At this point, their priority was getting themselves out there and in demand, and that part of the plan was working perfectly.

Slowly , but perfectly.

“We have a special treat for you tonight, but I’m sure you want to meet the band before we play our final song.” Clay made a show of holding his hand to his ear. He had showmanship in spades. “What’s that? I can’t hear you!”

“Introduce the band,” someone yelled from the back of the room.

The door to the pub opened, and Rachel, their manager, slipped in. She usually tried to attend all their gigs, but that evening something had come up at the last minute, and she wasn’t sure she could make it.

Clay gave her a nod and then continued. “Please welcome the lovely Kaci on drums!”

Kaci performed a drum roll and grinned. The same guy who’d yelled before wolf-whistled. Rachel narrowed her eyes.

“None of that, unless you’re prepared to do it for the whole band,” Clay said. “We’re equal opportunity here, and, besides, we don’t want to piss Kaci off. We’d be lost without her keeping the beat.” He paused for a moment, then continued. “To the right of me is Phil on guitar.”

Phil strummed a chord and waved.

“And Tyler on bass.” Tyler took a mock bow and added a flourish. The crowd laughed.

“Lincoln on keyboard.” Clay turned to their keyboard player. “I’ve heard rumours this guy can play anything.”

Lincoln rolled his eyes and played the opening to chopsticks.

“And to my left is Owen on fiddle.” Clay pretended to ignore Lincoln and moved on. “Although,” he lowered his voice, “he sings occasionally too, if you ask nicely.”

Owen laughed. He loved seeing Clay work the crowd. “Only if you ask nicely, and aren’t you forgetting someone?”

“Am I?” Clay looked puzzled. “Oh right! I’m Clay, lead vocalist, and together we’re Flightless!” He glanced at Owen, confirming this was the night they’d finally be playing something that wasn’t a cover.

“Go for it.” Owen put his fiddle under his chin, ignoring his shaky hand.

What if the crowd hated his song?

No one outside the band had heard it before.

Oh well, nothing like jumping in the deep end.

“As I said, tonight we have a special treat for you.” Clay didn’t miss a beat. “Until now, Flightless has only played covers, but that’s about to change. This next number is one of Owen’s songs, and I tell you, he’s seriously talented.”

He turned to Kaci. “One. Two. Three. Four.”

She tapped her stick on the drum, echoing the count. Tyler joined in on bass, and then they repeated the simple rhythm together.

Owen played a haunting melody on the fiddle, his instrument echoing through the pub.

“Somewhere, I lost you.” Clay grabbed the mic and sang the opening lines. “Lost my heart and soul. Come find me, find me. I’m waiting here for you.”

“I’m waiting here for you.” Owen lowered his fiddle and joined Clay in harmony. “Lost in time. Waiting for you.”

Phil stepped up to the mic, his guitar repeating the melody, then speeding up. The rest of the band joined in, a mix of vocal and instrumental harmony.

Owen lifted his fiddle again, adding a Celtic sound to the song, losing himself in the music.

“Lost you, never again. Got me forever, ooh.” Clay’s gravelly voice provided the perfect timbre for the lyrics, his tone softening with the final bars.

“Got me forever, ooh.” Owen lowered his instrument, and sang the final line, repeating Clay’s words like a distant echo, fading away to nothing.

He looked out at the audience, his heart racing when he was met by silence.

Fuck, they hated it.

One of the women closest to the stage stood up, tears in her eyes, and started clapping. “Let’s hear it for Flightless,” she yelled. “You guys are going places!”

“Hell yeah,” Rachel called out from the back.

The audience clapped, several rising to their feet.

Clay bowed and gestured for the rest of the band to follow. “Knew they’d love it,” he whispered to Owen. “Brilliant, mate.”

“Wouldn’t be without all of you.” Owen blushed and turned around to the friends who’d long been more like family. “Encore?”

Clay held up four fingers, signalling the song they’d play next. They’d figured out a code a couple of gigs in. Although they had a few covers prepared, Clay was great at reading the room and choosing their encore.

Tyler played the opening bars on his bass, a rock song that was a favourite with every audience they’d played for, and the crowd started singing along.

By the time they’d finished, Owen was riding the high of the combination of music and the vibe in the pub. He was always nervous before a gig, but once the music took over, he lost himself in the performance. Their band had been playing together for nearly ten years and knew each other’s talent inside and out. Following each other on a tangent sounded seamless, like they’d rehearsed it that way.

Clay gave another bow, and the rest of the band followed his lead. “See you next time! We’ll be playing at Hills on Courtenay on Friday night. Hope to see you there.” He took off his guitar, put it on its stand, and walked over to meet some of the punters half way, soon falling into easy conversation.

“Any plans for the rest of the weekend?” Kaci came up behind Owen, startling him.

“I need to switch gears and practice for Monday’s rehearsal, but apart from that, nothing.” Owen unwound his bow and rubbed the excess rosin off his fiddle before stowing it safely in his case.

“Clay and I are taking a trip up the coast tomorrow if you want to join us.” Kaci swung her arm over his shoulder. “You need some downtime, or you’ll wear yourself out. I worry about you being pulled in two directions with the band and orchestra, especially when we have a gig on a concert weekend.”

“I’ve been doing it for years, and I’m fine.” Owen fingered the gold cross around his neck, a present from his grandmother. “And as long as I have cover for the time off at work, I’m all good.”

Kaci snorted. “You could delegate some of those staff rosters to Jesse, you know, instead of spending hours on them whenever you need to take leave. He’s more than capable of taking up some of the slack, and you don’t have to do all the paperwork for the place yourself.”

“I don’t mind.” Owen managed a music shop, working at Arpeggios part-time when he started uni, and working his way up. “And I love the job. Seeing someone’s eyes light up when I demonstrate the potential of an instrument they’re thinking about buying always makes my day.”

“That job was made for you,” Kaci told him, glancing up when Clay approached. “Just don’t burn yourself out, okay?”

“Hiya, how’s my favourite girl and guy?” Clay gave Kaci a chaste kiss on her cheek. “Very appreciative audience today. We need to play more of your songs at our next gig, Owen. We’ve rehearsed them already, so they’re all set to go. What do you say?”

“I guess.” Owen chewed on his lower lip. “What if this was a fluke? We’re getting a following. I don’t want to screw that up for us.”

Rachel butted into the conversation, her gaze lingering on Clay's casual arm around Kaci’s waist, the three of them tight- knit and showing it. “That song wasn’t a one-off. I caught the end of your last practice. I’m guessing that song not being a cover, it was another of yours?”

Owen frowned, trying to remember what they’d finished with the other night. “Yeah. Sorted is one of mine.”

“The one you just heard is called Lost, ” Kaci shot Owen a grin.

“Can you include both of those in Friday’s gig?” Rachel pulled out her phone and took notes. “I’ve got someone coming who asked if you had anything else. He loved tonight’s performance. He’s looking for bands for a festival he’s organising in the Hawkes Bay early next year.”

“Is he still here?” Owen scanned the pub, hoping to spot the guy she’d been talking to while he’d been packing up.

Rachel shook her head. “He had to be somewhere. Called into the pub to collect something he’d forgotten earlier, and stopped to listen. He loved what you each bring to the band, especially your fiddle, and the Celtic sound in that song.”

“Flightless wouldn’t work without all of us,” Owen said firmly. His songs came to life once the band was together. Alone, they didn’t have the same energy. “And some of the other stuff I’ve written aren’t ballads like Lost . I like to change things up.”

The band had an 80s/90s vibe, although they included a few heavier rock tunes occasionally too.

“Keeps things sounding fresh too.” Rachel nodded her approval. “I’ll touch base during the week and see how things are going. I won’t be late for your next gig. Sorry about that today. I had a meeting that ran over.”

“It’s no problem,” Clay reassured her. “She never seems to run out of energy,” he added once Rachel left. “And I’ve never heard her say anything less than positive.”

“Rachel?” Lincoln came up behind them. “Yeah, she’s great.” He’d connected her with the band, as she was a friend of a friend’s. “Hey, I’m heading out, and might be late for practice on Friday.”

“Do you want us to start later, and is everything okay?” Clay asked.

“Thanks, but no need. Mum’s not been feeling well. I’ve talked her into seeing the doctor, and I’m going with her to make sure she doesn’t downplay anything. You know how she is.”

“Give her our love,” Kaci said.

Lincoln’s mum, Beth, had supported the band since they’d first started practising together in her garage while they were still in high school. She was the unofficial band ‘aunty,’ and they loved her dearly.

“I will,” Lincoln promised. “Later!” He adjusted his satchel, his expression faltering before he turned away.

“He’s worried,” Owen said softly. “I hope Beth’s okay.” She was the only family Lincoln had left; they’d always been close.

“I’ll check in with him tomorrow,” Kaci promised. “Speaking of which, it’s getting late, and I need my beauty sleep.”

“Definitely.” Phil laughed, and he and Tyler wandered over hand in hand. They’d been a couple for a few months after spending years being oblivious to their feelings for each other, although everyone else had seen their connection when they’d met.

Kaci poked out her tongue at him. “Despite your rude comment, I’m presuming you’d both still like a ride home?”

“You’re not going to leave us to catch the bus?” Tyler sounded horrified, then he grinned. “But we’ve already loaded our instruments into your car.”

“Arse,” murmured Phil, kissing Tyler’s cheek. “And, yes, we’d love a ride home if the offer’s still there.” He blinked his eyes at Kaci. “You still love us, right?”

“I’m thinking about it.” Kaci laughed and then turned back to Owen and Clay.

The pub had settled into a murmur of conversation against the background of easy-listening music streaming from speakers on the walls. Most of the crowd had left apart from a couple of groups who’d settled in for late-night drinks in the hour or so before closing.

“See you tomorrow. I’ll call you late morning when I’m on my way.” Clay winked at Kaci. “Don’t worry; I’ll be sure to give you plenty of time for that beauty sleep you mentioned.”

“See that you do.” Kaci shuffled Tyler and Phil towards the door. They’d settle in and talk for hours, given the chance. Years later, they still all enjoyed each other’s company, despite all the time they’d spent together.

“So, are you coming with us up the coast tomorrow?” Clay asked.

“I need to practice for Monday’s rehearsal,” Owen said cautiously. “And I don’t want to interrupt anything.”

Clay snorted. “As if. Kaci and I are friends, that’s all, despite some fans thinking otherwise.”

“One of Al’s friends is convinced you’re together, despite him swearing otherwise.” Owen’s brother loved music, enjoyed their gigs, but preferred to play classical. He was an accomplished flautist and music teacher, much to their parent’s delight.

“I love Kaci, but like a sister.” Clay shrugged. “Besides, I’m not her type, any more than she’s yours.”

Owen, Clay, and Kaci had started Flightless between them, with Lincoln joining them soon afterwards. They’d started rehearsing in the music rooms at their high school, and once they’d left school and realised they were good enough to play professionally, they advertised for guitar and bass players. Tyler and Phil had been the first to audition, and the band hadn’t looked back.

“Do you need a ride home?” Owen deliberately didn’t answer Clay’s question about joining him and Kaci tomorrow.

“Nah, I’ve got my bike. Car’s getting fixed. Again.” Clay caught Owen’s arm before he could make a clean getaway. “Take some time out, okay? Think about where you’re going before you get to the crossroads? Something’s gonna give with your workload, and I don’t want it to be you.”

“I’ll try.”