Almost Heaven, West Virginia Blue Ridge Mountains, Shenandoah River... Life is old there, older than the trees Younger than the mountains, growin' like a breeze
Country roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virginia, mountain mama Take me home, country roads
The sun hadn't yet risen up above in the sky, stars still providing dim and soft light to those below. Special Agent Clarice M. Starling was an early bird, yes, but this was different. This was... An important occasion.
She was packing some clothes, a few little trinkets she liked to keep with her all the time, and some bullets for her ankle firearm, just in case. She had a five-and-a-half-hour drive ahead of her. She woke up to see Mapp making fresh coffee in the kitchen, and gave the woman a warm hug, saying goodbye for now. She'd not be back home soon, if things went well.
All my memories gather 'round her Miner's lady, stranger to blue water Dark and dusty, painted on the sky Misty taste of moonshine, teardrop in my eye
Country roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virginia, mountain mama Take me home, country roads
I hear her voice in the mornin' hour, she calls me The radio reminds me of my home far away Drivin' down the road, I get a feelin' That I should've been home yesterday, yesterday...
The '94 Mustang Roush, now replacing her previous '74 Pinto —her dad's old car—, was fast and comfortable to drive. She could keep the windows down, smell the air as it became fresher, as she got far from D.C. It was a long drive, but it didn't matter. It was worth it. Clarice had wasted too much time already to finally come back home.
Country roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virginia, mountain mama Take me home, country roads
Country roads, take me home To the place I belong West Virginia, mountain mama Take me home, country roads
Take me home, (down) country roads Take me home, (down) country roads...
After hours of driving, Clarice finally arrived. She knew the way, she could never forget it. She turned off the car, parked a few feet away from the door. She saw some clothes and blankets hanging on the wires for hanging clothes to dry in the sun, and for a moment, nostalgia dared to threaten her, before she composed herself. Taking a deep breath, she took steps closer to the house.
She could almost hear her siblings' laughter and bickering in the distance, smell her father's musky scent of tobacco and soap, see her mother washing clothes in the sink... She could almost picture her father in the kitchen, peeling an orange with his pocket knife and sharing it with her.
Eventually, she came to a halt right in front of the door. She hadn't been here or known of her family since she was ten years old, and yet... Somehow it felt the same. She raised her hand and, despite hesitating, brought herself to knock. She fought back a small gasp when someone came to open the door. Clarice couldn't make out the face behind the mosquito net, but she had a feeling.
"—...Hi mama."