Bonus Chapter: Panic




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/

***

"You should go first."

Christian's voice cut through the cheers and jeers and the sound of the emcee's voice, although both seemed to be getting farther and farther away with every second that passed. It was enough to break my train of thought and make me look over. "Wait, what? No. Why would I go first?"

"Haven't you heard of ladies first?"

The exasperation temporarily outweighed the tumultuous wave of nausea that had started to settle in as we climbed the jagged rocks, creeping closer and closer to the top. "You're not seriously going to pull that one out right now, are you? This was your idea."

"I said I was doing it, not that you had to join me," he said.

"I'm just here to make sure you don't get yourself killed," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. The truth was, I was about 15 seconds from throwing up, probably a combination of nerves and the physical exertion. This was nothing like the rock wall Tori had made me climb in preparation for my impending doom. I wasn't sure I was going to make it to the top at all.

"And how's that working out for you?"

I grabbed a hold of the next rock, careful to avoid any slick-looking spots. "I'll let you know when we get back to the bottom."

He looked over his shoulder, and I saw the color leave his face. "Right. The bottom."

"Christian. Are you kidding me? Don't tell me you're afraid of heights."

He turned his focus back on the task at hand: getting to the top of the cliff we were supposed to be jumping off of. "I could tell you that.... but I'd be lying."

I let out an irritated sigh. Somehow he still managed to surprise me. "Why are we even here? You don't need the money. I don't need the anxiety. What are we even doing?" I dropped my voice to a whisper hiss when I realized a few other competitors were starting to stare.

He shrugged, a mischievous twinkle in his emerald green eyes. "Blake told me I was too chicken to do it. So I'm proving him wrong. I gotta set an example for Bubba: we don't back down from a challenge. You should know that by now."

When Christian had first told me he was entering this year's game of Panic, I thought he was joking. I mean, he'd had plenty of dumb ideas before, but this one had to take the cake. Then I realized he wasn't joking. So I told myself, well, he must have a good reason, right? Most of the people who entered this godforsaken competition did it for the money, because they needed it to get out of this speck-on-the-roadmap town they called Carp. Others did it for the rush. Adrenaline can be a pretty powerful thing. But I doubted there were many who would risk their lives just to prove their best friend wrong and impress their dog.

"Oh, dear God. I'm in love with an idiot," I said, mostly to myself, bracing myself for the next part of the climb. But there was no next part of the climb. We'd reached the top.

"I'm choosing to ignore the idiot part and just say I love you, too. Now, see? That wasn't so bad," he said, pulling himself up to join me. I slowly made my way over to the edge, my legs shaking like the Shake Weight Tori had convinced her parents to buy her when she'd gotten it in her head that she had "flan arms."

"Yeah. Except I'm still not going first."

I felt his shoulder brush against mine as he joined me at the edge of the cliff. I could feel my heart racing as we looked down. There were more than a dozen figures already in the water, competitors who had successfully made the Jump already and were getting a head start on celebrating. Christian reached out and threaded his fingers through mine, squeezing my hand as if his life depended on it. Which, maybe in that moment, it did. "Then we'll do it together."

"Announce yourselves," the emcee called out, his voice slightly warped by the megaphone he was using. Diggins was his name, if I recalled correctly. I was struggling to recall anything at that moment.

"Sophia Hastings," I managed to say.

"Christian Ryder."

Cheers broke out at that. The voices were coming from both the water and the spectators that had gathered to watch us possibly get ourselves killed. The cheers quickly turned into a chant, a jumble of voices repeating, "Jump, jump, jump" over and over and over again.

"The people have spoken. You ready?"

I could barely hear Christian, but with his hand in mine and his annoyingly perfect eyes gazing into mine, I decided I was as ready as I was going to be. The things I did for this idiot. "As ready as I'll ever be."

"On three... 3... 2... 1..."

And then we were in the air.

I'd never been a big fan of flying. Not that I had much experience rushing through the air like a bird who'd hit a window and had forgotten how to use its wings. I knew deep down that we'd probably be okay. We weren't doing the Suicide Leap, so that was something at least. And at least this time, I wasn't trapped between Thing 1 and Thing 2 on a crowded airplane, praying for the self-control I needed to not deck the Thing that wouldn't stop staring at my chest.

Just when I was starting to think this type of flying was worse than even that experience, it was over. The weightless feeling and the rush of wind were replaced by brutally cold water. I thought the water would be warmer in the summertime. I was very wrong.

I lost Christian's hand as I went under, my arms and legs flailing as I pushed my way back to the top of the water. I gasped for breath as I resurfaced, my eyes searching desperately for my one source of comfort. "Christian?"

The panic was about to set in -- now I knew where the name came from -- when I heard his voice. "Hey. I'm right here. It's okay."

I let out a sigh of relief, slicking my wet hair back and throwing my arms around his neck. The relief was quickly overpowered by the anger, frustration and fear the jump had triggered in me. I pulled back and smacked him in the arm.

"Ow. What was that for?"

"You know what that was for."

"I didn't --"

"Yeah, yeah, I know. You didn't tell me to do it with you."

He moved closer to me. Even in the dark, I could see his lips quirking upwards into a half-smile. "I jump, you jump, huh?"

I let out a groan. "Tell me you did not use this moment to quote Titanic."

"I thought you'd appreciate the reference," he said, his tone turning a little defensive.

I rolled my eyes. "Has anyone ever told you it's a good thing you're handsome?"

He just shrugged, reaching out to pull me against him. The warmth of his body was a welcome sensation. "A few times. But I must be doing something right if you like me enough to jump off of a cliff for me."

"Yeah, well, don't say I never did anything for you."

All around us, chaos was erupting as the last of the competitors cemented their place in the game, and the celebration began. But we'd always been good at tuning out the chaos and staying in our own little bubble. "I have to say, I didn't think you'd do it."

"Don't you remember what happened last time you underestimated me, Chrissy?"

He laughed, and then cringed at the memory. "Point taken, Soph. Point taken."

"So what's next?" I asked, the shivering starting to set in as we bobbed in the water.

"What's next? I don't know. But this is just the beginning."

I let out the shaky breath I'd been holding in. "Well, then. Let the games begin."

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