Parallel Universes || Phan

Chapter 6

Daniel's POV*

I felt my eyes flutter open. A blinding white made my eyes screw shut again. 

I blinked a few times to get my vision right and glanced around the room. I felt stiff and sore, where am I? What happened? Where's Phil?

My hearing became less fuzzy and that's when I heard the sobbing of a woman. I turned my head slightly and saw my mother weeping beside the bed I was currently on. I frowned, why was she crying? I looked around and my eyes widened.

I was in hospital?

Then it hit me ... the crash. I was sure I had died ... but I kept hearing three words rattle round my head the whole time I was unconscious. "I love you." and they were in Phil's voice. Where was Phil? I wanted my Phil! I needed him here to reassure me, I needed to kiss him one last time in case I only woke up once.

"M-mum?" I croaked, my voice hoarse.

Her head snapped up and she looked at me in disbelief, her eyes puffy and swollen from crying. "Dan!" Her voice was barely a whisper. I was suddenly crushed in a hug and my mum's "i love yous" and "i was so worried" and "it's a miracle". I smiled slightly, despite the how sore the hug was.

"They said you weren't going to wake up, they said you had a 5% chance." She said.

"WHAT!?" I shouted. A doctor burst in and stared at me wide eyed, obviously someone had seen us from outside.

"YOU LIED! You said he was going to die and he was going to be taken off life support tomorrow!" My mum screamed. Life support? I visibly paled, what if they had taken it off sooner? I shuddered at the idea. I suddenly heard Phil's words in my head, "Always. And ... forgive me, but I can't let you live like this."

They made Phil make a horrible choice, he will be scarred! I felt the anger rise, I needed Phil to calm me down. I suddenly felt something cold around my finger. I looked down and gasped.

On my bruised ring finger was a silver ring with Forever engraved into the side. I felt the tears sting my eyes and all I wanted to do was be alone with Phil, but where is he? Wouldn't he wait here in the hospital with mum?

The doctors left, probably to discuss about how I survived, whilst two nurses rushed over and checked me, taking results on a clip board. I tried to see how long I'd been asleep but I couldn't crane my neck enough to see what she'd written.

Once they left I called my mum over, "Mum, how long have I been out?" I asked.

"Oh ... um, a week ... we were going to take life support away then but we wanted to leave it a week just in case Phillip suddenly changed his mind and wanted to wait-"

"Where's Phil?" I asked, quickly. "Why isn't here?" I demanded.

She was quiet and I didn't like that. Her expression held sorrow and the worst case scenarios went off in my head. "WHERE IS HE?" I yelled.

"Calm down love, Phillip ... he ... he disappeared. I don't know where he went. Police are looking for him but it's like he vanished out of thin air. He's not at his house, he's not at the lab, he's no where. We don't know if he ... committed-"

"Don't say it." I snapped. 

"I'm sorry Daniel ... I don't know what to say." She sighed and tears spilled out her eyes. My mood softened and I brought her into a hug. Where could Phillip have gone? He can't REALLY have committed suicide over me? Phil was too innocent and logical to think like that. I need to find out what happened to him.

"When did he disappear?" I asked, calmer this time.

"Two days after your accident ... he was in his lab working on god knows what all day and night, he let no one in but everyone knew he was there. His mother spoke to him briefly but got nothing out of him. After two days working on whatever it was he just vanished. I don't know what happened, maybe he invented a disappearing machine or something ..."My mum sobbed.

I felt my blood run cold ... I know exactly what happened. He made the portal, he actually did it. I felt a small swell of pride in my chest but worry soon overcome it. What if it sent him somewhere dangerous or he died and it made him into nothing? I panicked, I needed to go find him!

"Mum! I need to go look for him now!" I exclaimed and sat up further, groaning as a pain shot through my right arm.

"Daniel no! You need to rest, you have a broken arm and a few broken ribs. The only thing that took the most damage was your head that's why they were sure you weren't going to wake up! You need time to recover!" Mum said sternly.

"I HAVE to find him mum! I might know where he is!" I urged.

"Then tell the police and let them find him, you need to stay here!" She replied. I knew there'd be no way getting round her so I groaned in frustration ... I'll have to sneak out tonight!

"I'm tired, can you leave? I need some sleep!" I lied and turned away from her, closing my eyes and pretended to doze off.

"Okay honey, have a nice sleep." My mother kissed my forehead and left the the room.

---

It was pitch black outside. Luckily I got changed into my jeans and shirt earlier in the day. It was hard getting the cast for my right arm through the shirt holes but I managed. When I was sure no one was going to see me I slipped my shoes on and zipped my hoodie up, hiding my cast inside.

I put my hood up and sneaked out the room, tip toeing down the stairs and into reception. I saw the girl having a conversation with a guy in the back room ... they didn't see me as I slipped passed and out the front doors which thankfully haden't been locked yet.

I hailed a cab and told them to take me to Hester laboratory. As soon as I got there I jumped out, throwing some notes at the driver and running to the front door. I took my card out and scanned the door, letting me slip in. I used my card for the elevators as well.

I was feeling a bit sore but I could walk fine, the only thing that hurt a lot was my head which was throbbing and my arm hurt quite a bit too. My ribs had heeled up pretty nicely and didn't hurt so much anymore.

Once I reached the top floor I slid my card through the lock for our lab room and the doors swung open. I stared wide eyed when I saw the machine at the end of the room. The one we designed. It was perfect, the exact same. Phillip was always the better one with building things, I was good at drawing and planning it out. The detail was pristine although it looked rushed.

I looked for the blue prints but found none and cursed. I tried to think how we planned on starting it and my head hurt from thinking. Finally I remembered which switches to flick in what order and which button to press.

"I'm coming Phil ... and if this killed you. Then I'll be with you soon." I gulped and flicked the switches and hopped inside. I pressed the button and bright light blinded me ...