When the World Listens - Duran Duran

Chapter 1, Part 1 - Welcome to Australia!

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to swap bodies with someone? Just for a day? Well, Duran Duran doesn't have to wonder...

Nick couldn't stand waiting any longer for the concert, but at the same time, he wished it would never come. After all, concerts are very taxing, especially so for his friend Simon.

All I have to do is play a couple chords on my synthesiser, he thought.

Compared to the others, he imagined that his role was the easiest, considering all the jumping around Simon, Andy, and John do. Even Roger had a harder job with his drums.

However hard they supposedly worked, after every concert, the fab five would fling themselves on a bed or couch. Sometimes, if they were really tired, they would collapse right on the floor.

The band had arrived in Australia for the third time this year. They had rented a 6 bedroom vacation house in Mount Colah.

It was about 45 minutes away from the Sydney Opera house where they were performing. They would've liked to have gotten something closer, but they were hesitant to rent a house in the city, and the house they had both times before was taken. They didn't want fans to know where they were. They wanted peace and quiet.

Nick had been sitting on the couch in the living room, anxiously tapping on his portable keyboard. He had been playing his part for "the Chauffeur", on loop.

It had been at least an hour. Although Nick didn't realise it had been this long, everyone else did. John, who was sitting on the floor in front of the couch, was getting tired of Nick and his prattling fingers.

He liked the song, but due to the noise that Nick was creating, John couldn't hear the contestants on Wheel of Fortune. It had just come on the TV.

Before John could say anything, Simon voiced his annoyance.

"Nick," Simon paused dramatically. Nick glanced over at him, awaiting his comment.

"Would you stop before I lob off your hands?". Simon grinned minaciously as he spoke. He was as threatening as an overactive dog.

Nick stuck his lip out like a pouting child. He tapped the power button on his shiny keyboard, and it made a beeping noise. He placed it on the table next to the couch.

A new flavour of quiet filled the room, where all you could hear was the buzz of the TV and the air conditioning unit. Relief flushed the men's ears.

John smirked subtly, without enmity. Nick saw john and he also saw, what he thought was his malice charged smile.

Asshole, he thought. He crossed his arms and legs. In doing so, he accidentally kicked Roger, who was sitting on the floor in front of him.

Simon snickered as Roger silently clutched his shoulder. Nick paid no attention to them. He had already spent an entire month with these wallies. He couldn't wait to go home, where his cats were, and Simon wasn't.