Parallel Worlds

Dan made his way into the empty living room and slumped down onto the sofa. Those who had found jobs had returned home and were busy milling around the house and getting changed from their work clothes. As much as Elliot Minor had planned to start writing and practicing new songs they hadn’t done anything as of yet. He reached for the remote and flicked the TV onto the music channels, putting the volume on low to let himself fall into a welcoming sleep. Just as he’d managed to doze off, however, his phone buzzed next to him. He jumped and cursed his phone as he sat up and looked at the screen to see an awaiting call
*Unknown Number*
He looked at the screen confusedly for a little while before pressing accept and putting the phone to his ear
“Hello?” He asked gruffly as he ran his hand through his hair
“Are you fucking stupid or something!?” Dan jumped a little as the harsh voice emitted from the other end of the line. The voice sounded as if it was being manipulated through a voice changer
“Erm… who is this?” He asked wearily. Maybe it was just a wrong number or a prank caller but he was still cautious
“Does it matter who I am? All that matters is the fact that you don’t listen properly!” Dan paused for a second
“Erm okay I think you’ve got the wrong number” He pulled the phone away from his ear and went to press the hang up button
“Don’t you dare hang up on me Daniel Hetherton!” Dan’s whole body froze as the harsh unknown voice uttered his name through the phone speaker, he put the phone back to his ear
“H-h-how the hell do you know my name?” Dan stuttered, a little shaken by the fact that this person knew his name
“It doesn’t matter how I know your name Daniel! It’s the fact that I gave you orders and you’re all too fucking thick to figure it out properly. I said all work and no play, that doesn’t mean that the whole fucking household has to go out and get a job. But of course a blonde idiot like YOU can’t figure that out can you?” Dan stayed silent, lost for words, “I thought someone clever like your brother might figure it out but, oh no, HE’S absent minded too so I have to spell it out for you!… ‘All work and no play’ is directed at you, the band, Elliot Minor. That fan base of yours is going mental! You’ve done absolutely fuck all for around half a year now. You do something about it and you can have your little friend back, okay?” Dan went to respond only to be cut off “-and don’t think I can’t see you ‘cause I’m watching EVERY single move that ANY of you make” Dan looked around him panicking, who was this person? His whole body froze as she heard a familiar voice shout desperately in the distance on the other end of the line
“DAN! HELP ME PLEASE!” It was Emily. Just as he tried to respond the person on the other end of the line hung up. He looked down at his phone in disbelief, a shiver travelled down his spine
“Shit” He said quietly to himself, his voice quivering. He got up from the sofa, shoving his phone in his pocket and unsteadily walked into the kitchen to get a drink. He walked to the fridge and pulled out a can of Strongbow; that ought to calm his nerves. Sarah, who was sitting at the kitchen table messing around on her phone looked up to see a very shaken Dan close the fridge door, worry swept across her.
“Dan?… Are you alright?” Dan shook his head as he slumped down on the seat next to Sarah
“What’s wrong?” She asked rubbing his back gently, Dan sighed shakily
“… I know what happened to Emily” Sarah’s eyes widened
“How d’you know? What happened?”
“… I just got a call, I don’t know who it was, but they have Emily”
“Can you not trace the call? Find the number that way?” Sarah asked in a panicky tone, Dan shook his head
“The number was withheld, I wouldn’t be able to” Sarah got up out of her seat, kissing Dan on the cheek before walking to the bottom of the stairs in the hallway and shouting up the stairs
“Guys? Come downstairs a minute… we all need to talk”