five little ducks
Went out one day
Over the Meadows and far away
Mother duck said, quack, quack, quack, quack
But only four little ducks came back
——-
Flora adjusted the flowers around the stage carefully. Musa took over a charity concert last minute for Jason, since his previous performer had gotten sick. Flora thought it was a great idea, not just for Musa, but for the Winx in general.
As she carefully placed petals along the stage, she looked up into the tech booth, a figure she didn't recognize was in there.
"That's funny," she thought to herself, " I thought Tecna was taking care of the sounds and lights?"
As if on cue, the familiar pink haired fairy entered the booth, she seems suspicious of the man as they talked for a minute, but then she showed her a badge and she smiled and nodded. The person Left the booth—
Her green eyes met a deep purple. She felt a chill run down her spine. They seem to stare at each other forever. They slowly pulled up their badge:
SECURITY
At least that's what the badge said, but she couldn't shake this awful feeling….
"Flo are you okay?" Aisha's voice snapped her out of her head.
"Yes, sorry…Hey do you recognize —" she pointed to where the security guard was, but the figure was gone.
"Are you sure you're okay? You seem stressed…"
Flora shook herself straight, "yes, I'm okay. I have this bad feeling though…Like someone is watching me…"
Aisha looked around, but no one seemed out of place. She put a protective arm around Flora, a small but persistent feeling began to grow in her own stomach.
Suddenly Tecna's banging and frustrated voice reached there ears, she seemed upset about the function of something.
"Why don't we go backstage? Jason Queen got us a pretty big dressing room, I'll let the others know you needed some rest, then I'll see if I can't help Tecna with whatever shes got going on."
"Thank you Aisha."
The girls went backstage, into the dressing room with a big star labeled "Winx". She lay on the plush couch, she didn't understand why but she just felt so nauseous, so uneasy.
"Aisha… This might sound crazy… I don't know, but could you check the room? I still feel like somebody's watching me."
Aisha looked behind curtains and under the sofa, even in the closet.
"Hmm, nope, nobody's here except you and me, I can stay if you want me to Flo."
Flora shook her head, "No... they'll need your help moving things out there, this is a big event after all. I'll just lock the door after you go."
Aisha nodded, she left the room and waited until she heard the click of the lock. as she walked down the hall, she passed someone she didn't recognize. She turned to confront them, but they were wearing a uniform. The word SECURITY across the back, so she went on her way.
————-
In the technology booth, Tecna could've beaten a sailor in a cursing contest.
"What's wrong Tecna?" Aisha asked
Tecna let out a frustrated sigh, "The performance starts in 30 minutes, and I can't get three of the cameras to work, not even with my magic! The camera behind the stage, the camera in the corridor to the dressing room and the camera out back— it's like they're not working at all!"
"We'll figure it out—plus there's plenty of security here— I'm sure everything will be fine. Oh! I let the other girls know already, but Flora is resting in the dressing room, she just wasn't feeling well. If the cameras aren't working, I am gonna go check on her, though."
——————
Aisha her way back to the dressing room and knocked, Flora answered.
"Yes?"
" I'm just checking on you with the cameras back here aren't working Flo. Are you OK?"
" I'm fine. I'm just trying to get some sleep."
"Are you sure?"
"Yes."
"...All right then… I'm gonna go upfront, but I'm coming back after the performance…"
Something didn't feel right. Aisha had this growing anxiety through the whole performance and after.
She wished she had gone into the room.
——————
Case File #473 – Missing Person Report
Date: Nov. 12, 2013
Officer: Det. Grace Wexler
Summary:
Subject, name Flora Evergreen, Fairy of nature and citizen of Lynphea, reported missing following a charity performance organized by Jason Queen on Sunday, November 10, 2012. Witness accounts and preliminary investigations indicate that the subject disappeared during the event's pre-show preparations
Eyewitness Testimony:
"There was someone wearing a security badge that night. I didn't think much of it until now. He wasn't one of Mr. Queen's regulars." – Musa, Winx group member.
"I passed someone in a SECURITY uniform in the hallway after leaving Flora, but I didn't think much of it at the time, I wish I'd stayed with her." – Aisha, winx group member.
"there was a person I had never seen before in the tech booth, they showed me a security badge, but after they left I noticed some of the cameras were out. I didn't make the connection before," Tecna, Winx group member.
Event Timeline:
* 7:00 p.m. – Subject was last confirmed seen by teammate Aisha in the group's dressing room marked "Winx," where she had gone to rest after expressing feelings of unease.
* 7:15 p.m. – Aisha left to assist with concert preparations. Subject was left alone but confirmed to have locked the door.
* 7:45 p.m. – Tecna reported malfunctions with cameras monitoring critical areas: backstage, the corridor to the dressing rooms, and the rear exit.
* 8:00 p.m. – Performance began; subject's absence was not noted until after the show concluded.
Evidence Collected:
* One torn piece of fabric matching dress found near the west exit.
* Security footage analysis inconclusive; reports of badge forgery under investigation.
* a recording device was found with various responses in a voice matching Flora Evergreen's in the sofa.
Lead Investigator's Note:
Discrepancies in staff IDs and records have raised questions about unauthorized access. Follow-up on badge forgery is pending. Follow up on recording device is pending.
———
After a few weeks of nothing, the girls told flora's parents, alongside filing a report with Lynphea police and the city of Magix, in case she showed up. Aisha would never forgive herself for leaving Flora that day.