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/
-
"Alright," I said, glancing around. "You guys ready?"
I could barely make out their faces in the moonlight—Aiden, Maple, Arden. Still, I could see the unwavering determination on their shadowed faces.
Well, except one.
"This grass is really itchy," Aiden said, bending down to scratch his leg.
I pressed my lips together and glanced away to see Arden mirroring my exasperated expression. Maple was rolling her eyes.
"Ready?" I repeated, this time staring straight at Aiden.
Aiden glanced up and saw all of us staring at him. He coughed and jumped upright, nodding. "Of course I'm ready. I was born ready, Princess," he drawled.
Arden groaned.
I could feel a headache coming on. "Good. I'm sure you won't mind going with your brother then? Me and Maple will go this way."
"Wait." Aiden blinked. "But—I thought—"
"You thought what?" I asked, injecting saccharine sweetness into my tone, tilting my head to the side.
"Um. Nothing," Aiden said, and then managed to collect himself. "Right. Me and Arden, this way, you and Maple that way."
"And we meet up again in twenty minutes," Maple added.
"Alright, then," I said, nodding at all of them. "Let's go."
Maple and I waved goodbye to the twins and turned away, walking in the opposite direction.
"Eyes and ears open," I whispered. "Apparently this place is booby-trapped."
"Oh, yes it is," Maple said, throwing a hand in front of me.
I stopped, followed her line of sight. Ah. There.
A trip wire gleaming silver in the moonlight.
"What do you think that does?" Maple asked, looking at it with far more curiosity, and much less fear than I thought was wise.
"I really don't want to find out," I answered, and stepped over it quickly, leading Maple to do the same. "Come on, we don't want anyone to catch us here."
After about half the time, it became clear that Spurlock's farm was most certainly not in the direction we were going. When I turned back to Maple, I didn't even have to say anything. The same realization was written all over her face.
"It's about time to be getting back anyways," Maple whispered.
I nodded, and we hurried back to the designated spot, waiting for the boys. It only took a few minutes for them to appear, covered in dirt.
I blinked. "What happened to you?"
Aiden grimaced. "You don't want to know."
Maple was already sighing and trying to wipe the mud off of Arden's face. All she was doing really, though, was smearing the mud some more and getting it all over her own hands. I eyed Aiden's face and kept my hands to myself.
"So we go that way, then?" Maple asked, glancing in the direction the boys had come from.
"Right," Arden said, taking her hand and beginning to walk.
I, naturally, fell into step beside Aiden. "So what really happened to you guys?"
Aiden grimaced, trying to wipe at the mud on his face with his shirt. "We saw some weird, hissing animal and started running, so we didn't see the trip wire—Arden tripped over it and we fell into this huge pit—"
There was a loud gasp from ahead.
Both of us turned to see Maple and Arden frozen in the path and hurried to them. I peered over Arden's shoulder—
Oh.
Aiden grimaced.
An animal trap. They'd gotten lucky, then.
"Watch the floor," I said, and then pushed to the front, leading them the rest of the way. Arden had already tripped one wire, and I really didn't want to take any more risks.
It was an easy route to Spurlock's house after that. Surprisingly easy, in fact. So easy that I was getting worried.
"Look over there," Aiden whispered.
I flinched at the sudden noise but followed his pointed finger. Ah. One of the windows was just...missing. So someone had already come in, removed a whole window from the house, and had either already taken something or were taking it.
"Wow," Maple said flatly.
"Good for us, I guess," Arden said. "Let's go?"
I shrugged. Might as well. The four of us crept through the grass, heading straight for the window. I kept an eye on the ground as we moved, an ear out just in case.
We reached the window, and the boys hoisted me and Maple in, and then we pulled them in as well.
This is surprisingly easy, Aiden mouthed.
I nodded, shrugging. It really was, but I wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Start looking, I mouthed back.
The house was dark, quiet. Even one wrong step would probably seem loud in the silence. I felt around with my hands, finally landing on a table. Ah, there was some sort of toy figurine on it. Well, that was as good as anything else, I supposed.
I clicked a quick picture of it, sent it to Diggins, and then turned around to see the others. Arden was done, Maple and Aiden were both taking pictures. Once they'd finished, I gestured with my head towards the window.
Arden jumped out, and Maple had just put one foot out the window when we heard it.
A gunshot.
I flinched, Aiden's hand shooting out in the dark to grab mine.
More gunshots. Unintelligible yelling.
Maple turned to me, her eyes wide and frightened in the moonlight. Spurlock, she mouthed.
I nodded. But he couldn't see us, here at the back of the house. I didn't want to risk staying in here longer than necessary, so I gestured with my hand. We had to get out of here.
Maple jumped out the window, Arden catching her. I clambered out as well, trying to stay silent, and then Aiden came out last.
Arden tilted his head towards the field, and we all but ran into it. I felt my shoulders relax once we were hidden in the cover of the tall grass—
"Anyone on this side? Five minutes and I start shooting!" Someone roared.
Spurlock.
I turned my head slowly, seeing everyone else frozen in their spots.
Don't move, Arden mouthed.
I stayed frozen, scarcely daring to breathe. To my side, Aiden's palm crept to mine, our fingers entwining slowly, slow enough that it wouldn't attract anyone's attention. Maple's eyes were closed, her lips pressed together. Arden was staring right at Spurlock, eyes alert.
A shot.
I flinched into Maple, Aiden falling into me. It had landed just to his left.
Heart racing, I tried to freeze again. Hopefully our movements would be hidden by the smoke of the bullet.
Another shot.
This time it landed far in front of us. Aiden's grip on my hand was so tight it was painful. I was sure I was doing the same to him.
Arden leaned up slightly, tilting his head to see Spurlock better—slowly, he came back down. He's leaving, he mouthed.
I closed my eyes, feeling my whole body relax. Aiden blew out a breath, bumping his head into mine sympathetically.
Once Arden had checked to make sure Spurlock really had gone back into the house, we crept away, being careful to move slowly and stay hidden, just in case he was watching from the windows or something.
Once we were at a safe distance, Maple leapt up with a soft shout. "We did it!" She whispered excitedly.
I grinned. "We did."
Aiden and Arden were smiling too, but Arden said, "Still, let's get out of here first. WE don't want to get caught in one of his booby traps after we've finished the challenge."
We did, getting out of the field carefully. Finally, we broke out of the grass.
Maple clapped her hands and jumped onto Arden, letting him spin her around. I smiled, watching them, and scratched at my arms.
"It was really was itchy," Aiden said. I glanced over to see him scratching as well and laughed, dropping my face into my hands.
I could feel Aiden's arms coming around me, pulling me into his chest. He rested his chin on the top of my head. "We did it."
I pulled back slightly so I could look into his eyes.
"We did."