AMAZON PRIME PANIC - BONUS CHAPTER

Author's Note

In celebration of Amazon Prime Video's newest series Panic, I am thrilled to be teaming up with Amazon Prime Video and Wattpad to write this exclusive chapter that puts my characters from this story into the world of Panic!

I hope this chapter intrigues and inspires you to learn more about Panic. Visit the #PanicWritingContest on Wattpad for the chance to put your creative writing chops to the test and learn more about the show!

To find out more about the contest, prizes, and how to enter, check out the #PanicWritingContest here: wattpad.com/AmazonPrimeVideo

Don't forget to watch the series premiere on May 28th, only on Amazon Prime Video, here: http://primevideo.com/

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"Alright." Thomas clapped his hands, a wide smile stretched across his face. I watched him with a glare, realising that I was not a fan of how calm and excited he was for the next challenge. As though he knew what to expect.

I stared at everyone. Thomas stood next to a shivering Bianca - her small dress insulting the harsh, brittle weather. Versa stood to the other side, her small frame hugging Ryan's much bigger one. He had his arm around her shoulders and had her firmly tugged in his side.

My eyes glazed over the empty barren land that lay beyond us all. I wasn't so certain what I was trying to see, but I was feeling jittery and my nerves were on edge. Any unruly sound had me jumping from my skin.

And we hadn't begun the real challenge yet.

"I want to say good luck, but then I'll be lying. Hope you all fail." Thomas said before he stepped forward.

"That arrogance would not get you your to win."

Thomas looked at me with a smirk. "We'll see." he shrugged.

The challenge was simple, yet so complicated. We had to go inside the creepy-looking house that stood in the middle of no-where, inhabited by someone who took shots before asking questions. Enter. Take something. Get out. Snap a picture. And send.

It was only us at this side of the land. I was certain others had gathered, but they were all dispersed, banking on having the spot closest to the house. But we all had to get through the cornfields before we could actually see the house.

The cold night was the type to reach my bones, caressing me with its icy allure as a front for its deadly might. It was a type of cold that naturally made you seek the comfort of a person's heat. I moved on my feet, giving myself the last few minutes to draw up all my confidence and my courage.

Courage that was most likely driven by actual fear, but courage regardless.

"Have fun." Thomas said, a slight taunt laced his tone.

Versa stepped out of Ryan's hold and came to stand next to me. I reached for her hand, and she laced her fingers through mine, giving them a squeeze. "Just as we planned?" she affirmed.

I nodded at her and started walking toward the cornfields, emitting a slightly sweet pungent smell. I could hear Ryan following us behind.

I wasn't sure if we could work together, but Versa and I decided to stick together as much as possible. And if we both won, we would easily split the cash prize between the two. How Ryan fell into our promised pact, I wasn't so sure. But in this moment, having him guarding our backs was a welcoming act.

We stepped foot into the large cornfield, our vision instantly obscured by the darkness that overlapped us. Versa clung onto me as I took the lead, each step calculated before I took it.

The entire area was booby-trapped, each one more harrowing than the previous one.

A harsh yell came from behind and I snapped my head around, using my flashlight to point light towards the direction it came from. Ryan and Versa stopped walking as well, their eyes planted on a certain spot of swishing corn stalks. We waited. Waited. Until nothing moved.

"Keep moving." Ryan clipped out.

I walked ahead until we came into a small clearing, right in the middle of the cornfield. I glanced around, noting how bizarre it was to have such an empty spot right here. I opened my mouth to voice my thoughts out loud when suddenly someone darted from the side.

I noticed it a bit too late. They purposely walked over the wire that only glinted at the reflection of the flashlight Ryan had pointed on it now. Something forceful pushed at my back, causing me to surge forward and fall down to my knees.

I looked back just in time to see Versa and Ryan fall into a massive ditch, the wire somehow instigating the fall.

"No!" I yelled out, scrambling towards the hole on my knees.

"We're okay!" Versa called back, but I couldn't see her.

"I can't see you!" I yelled into the darkness. I flashed my light down the hole and saw Versa sprawled over Ryan, who let out a grunt.

Versa looked at him, shooting him an apologetic look. "I'm so sorry. But thanks for breaking the fall."

"Anytime." Ryan groaned out, slowly moving Versa off his chest. He sat up and locked around the hole.

I knew before he spoke what he would say.

"Unless you can bring us a rope and have the strength to pull us up," Ryan began with a rueful smile. "I don't think we can get out."

I shook my head, refusing to accept defeat so quickly.

"You have to go on."

I shook my head at my best friend. "Not without out. I'm not a fool to do this on my own."

She rolled her eyes at me. "You're a fool if you don't."

Ryan stood up and stretched his hand down for Versa. She accepted it and pushed herself up. "Go now. And be quick." Ryan pressed.

I don't know what possessed me to nod. But I did, and I pushed myself up from the dry floor. I shot them a pained smile before I turned back around to the cornfields. I wobbled and stamped until feeling returned to my legs and carried on.

Someone had purposely triggered this booby trap. I was going to stay the hell away from them and let them assume they got me in as well.

I surged ahead, quickening my pace since I was now alone. I kept glancing behind me, scared someone would creep from behind.

I swallowed the fear that threatened to overpower me when a covered arm circled around my waist, a hand clamped over my mouth and lifted me off the ground as though I weighted nothing.

The hand over my mouth held my scream. I kicked back, trying to inflict some form of harm on them to throw them off. The person took it all in and simply carried me further into the field.

I threw my head back and simultaneously bit down hard on their hand, my teeth digging into their cold flesh.

"What the hell!" A familiar, very familiar voice clipped from behind me.

I stopped thrashing and froze.

"You calm?" He asked, before he removed his hand from my mouth.

I whirled around and threw out my hand. Link grabbed it before it connected to his jaw. Something I was aiming for. "Relax." Link drawled.

"Relax?" I sputtered out, furious at him. "Why the hell did you do that?" I hissed at him.

Link looked over my shoulder before he grabbed my arm and yanked me further into the cornfields, out of the path.

I opened my mouth -

"Shut up."

I narrowed my eyes at him, but shut my mouth. He grabbed my arm and turned me around, pressing his chest into my back. He curled us down, blending with the stalks and the shadows.

Protest began rising with me until I saw two people dash forward onto the path, their faces concealed with black ski mask. They looked around, menace leaking from them. I instantly knew they were not there to take part in this annihilative game.

They looked around more before they silently agreed about something together and ran off again.

Oxygen returned into my lungs with a vigorous rush, panting as I tried to still my erratic heartbeats. "Who are they?" I asked Link, sinking closer into him. Between the two, it chilled me that I knew him to be my safest bet.

"I don't know but there are more of them."

I sucked in a breath. "Do the judges know?" I asked in a whisper. The judges were the ones that looked over the games. I couldn't help but wonder what they could do. As each game played after each year, lines were being crossed that no one could justify. Lines became so blurred, it was becoming harder to distinguish what was right from wrong.

All for the cash prize in the end.

I stepped out from Link's grasp and he let me go instantly. I turned around and watched him.

He held my stare for a few moments before he spoke. "I'll take the lead."

I nodded, my compliance coming easy because I was no fool. "Why are you playing?" I asked him when he started walking ahead, pushing away the stalks that got in his face. I didn't go over my head that he left some to smack me in the face.

"Why are all of us playing?" He countered.

I scoffed at him. I think everyone was driven by one selfish reason to play the Panic games each year. "For the money." I clued him in, since he acted unaware.

It was Link's turn to let out a scoff. "Ahh, sweetheart, we all know it's more than that."

I glared at the back of his head. "What do you mean?"

Link looked back at me over his shoulder, his dark hair falling across his forehead. Something crossed his eyes and in the dark, I found it difficult to place what it was. "Oh, I don't know. Maybe we all want to see how far we can take things without being caught."

I deliberately ignored that comment and what he insinuated. I flashed my light directly in his face, and he let out a chuckle

He must have been distracted at my feeble attempt to annoy him, that he didn't see the trap on the floor until I let out a warning yell and pulled him back from his jacket. I had used strength I was previously unaware I had to pull him back.

He stumbled and fell back into me, causing us both to fall down. The air left my lungs at the hard impact of the floor behind my back and the impact of his own solid back into my chest.

Link was quick to move, spinning away, so he fell back on the ground to his side. "Sorry."

"It's okay." I wheezed out. "I saved you though."

"I know you did."

I grabbed my flashlight that was disregarded to the side and shone it around us, half expecting to see one of those masked people to jump out to us. "You nearly lost your leg."

Link pushed himself to his feet and grabbed my arm to help me. "Thanks to you. You must really like me to pull me back like that."

I rolled my eyes at him. "Should have let you lose your leg."

"Should have." He agreed.

"Definitely should have." I muttered.

Link stepped into me, taking me completely off guard with how quickly he seemed to change the mood. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing." He said, his voice dropping low. He stopped only when his chest was pressed right against my front, his hands resting on my hips. I moved, but he only dug his fingers deeply into me, halting me in my place.

"Link." I breathed out, but lost my train of thought when I spied the look on his face. His brown eyes were fixed on my face, a feral heat overflowing them. I looked at his lips, innocently noting how perfectly shaped they were. It was almost illegal how perfect they were.

Link ignored me and grabbed my hands and lifted it so I had to snake it around his neck. He tilted his head down, his intention so obvious. He was going to kiss me. I didn't fight it. Heck, I didn't want to fight it.

Even with how many times this guy had tormented me, left me physically and mentally drained, I still expected his kiss as though it was the only thing that could clench the sudden thirst I was suffering from.

Just as I was about to close my eyes, feeling the whisper of his lips closing down on my own, something glinted across from him.

My flashlight was beamed into a spot on a stalk. I tilted my head to the other side, peeking from behind Link's head to fully register what I was seeing.

I didn't move another step as I put two and two together "Link." I hissed.

"What." He answered. His own body stilled at the sudden panic that seized me. I followed the metal chain that was wrapped around corn tusk to another one. They were a few around us, but all together they surrounded us. I looked down and saw we stood on something that eerily looked like a metal net.

"How did we not notice when we fell down?" I hissed at Link, feeling all shades of stupid at how easily we fell into another trap.

"I don't know but that is the least of my worries." He jutted his head over to the side. I followed his gaze and nearly screamed when I spotted the same two masked people standing at the side, a good distance away.

"When I say run, Ori, I need you to run."

I nodded without looking at him.

"Run!" Link shouted, wasting no time pulling me with him as he ran straight ahead. I heard the metals clanking and felt a cold whoosh breeze over the side of my face. I didn't know what it was, but Link gave no indication to stop to let me see. Then again, why the hell did I want to do that?

Link broke into a full on sprint, his hand clamped in mine as he dragged me with him. We shot out the cornfield and into the space next to the house. Right in front of us was the greenhouse. Link dashed towards the side of the greenhouse, pressing us both against it as we both panted for air.

"Who are they?" I asked him again, my voice hoarse as I swallowed down my scratching throat.

Link ignored my question and looked over at the house. I then realised how close I was to snatch the fifty points I would need for the next challenge.

We snapped our heads in the direction where we heard some noises. I watched as Thomas and another boy, Aaron, come out the field. They both looked at each other, grinning, before they dashed towards the house.

The next second, I heard gunshots echoing in the night's stillness. I lost my hearing for the barest of seconds, fighting the pressure before it subsided.

"I know you little rascals have come!" A voice resembling a foghorn rang out loud.

"Come closer," he taunted. "Come closer so I can finish you."

My heart sank when I realised we had to get through to him, to even come close to winning this challenge.

a/n: Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter! <3