There were many things the production team tried to hide from Aria Lane:
realistic food props
unsecured ladders
Director Mason's growing medicine drawer
and now, most importantly—
the candy stash.
It was a sacred place.
A secret place.
A last-resort survival bunker for overworked crew members.
Hidden in a locked cabinet.
Inside a locked room.
Behind a fake wall panel.
Only the props department, the assistant director, and two caffeine-addicted editors knew the code.
And today…
Aria found it.
How It Began
It was a peaceful afternoon.
Too peaceful.
Aria stood in the hallway nibbling on a granola bar when she paused mid-bite.
Her head tilted.
Her eyes narrowed.
She sniffed the air—
once—
twice—
like a bloodhound with military training.
Daniel froze.
"Oh no… oh no no no—
ARIA, DON'T FOLLOW THE SMELL!"
Julian blinked.
"Smell?"
Aria began walking.
Slowly at first.
Then with purpose.
Then with frightening accuracy.
Daniel chased her.
"Don't do this—DON'T DO THIS—THEY'LL BLAME ME—"
She rounded a corner.
Walked past three closed doors.
Ignored the catering room entirely.
Stopped at a blank wall.
A blank.
White.
Plain.
Utterly normal wall.
Julian frowned.
"There's nothing there."
Aria placed her palm against the wall.
"…Sugar."
Daniel screamed.
The Hidden Panel
She pressed lightly.
CLICK.
The wall swung open.
Daniel nearly fainted.
"Oh my god—
OH MY GOD—
HOW DID YOU—
It was HIDDEN!"
Julian stared inside, stunned.
"…What is this?"
It was beautiful.
Shelf after shelf of:
chocolate bars
gummy worms
lollipops
sour candies
jelly cups
emergency espresso beans
A shrine.
A temple.
A sugar hoard worthy of legends.
Aria's eyes sparkled faintly.
Daniel whispered,
"She found the Candy Vault…
We're doomed."
The Props Department Arrives Too Late
The props master sprinted down the corridor when he heard Daniel screaming.
He skidded to a stop.
Saw Aria.
Saw the open vault.
Saw the missing gummy worm in her hand.
He dropped to his knees.
"No…
No…
NOOOO—
Our emergency sugar reserve…
HOW DID YOU FIND IT?!"
Aria held up the gummy worm.
"It smelled good."
The props master's soul left his body.
Julian's Reaction
Julian watched her carefully.
"You can smell candy… through a wall?"
Aria nodded.
"Yes."
Daniel pointed at her like she was a mythological beast.
"SHE TRACKS SUGAR BY SCENT, JULIAN!"
Aria corrected softly.
"And sound."
Julian laughed.
"Candy makes a sound?"
Aria nodded seriously.
"Good candy does."
Daniel threw his hands in the air.
"SHE'S NOT EVEN TRYING TO HIDE IT ANYMORE!"
The Negotiation Attempt
The assistant director rushed over, breathless.
"Miss Lane, please step away from the candy. That stash is for emergencies only."
Aria blinked.
"…This is not an emergency?"
"No!"
Aria took another gummy worm.
Daniel grabbed his head.
"She's committing candy crimes!"
Julian leaned against the wall, amused.
"Aria, maybe we shouldn't steal from the crew."
Aria paused.
"Is it stealing if no one is eating them?"
The props master shouted,
"YES!! THAT IS THE DEFINITION OF STEALING!!"
Aria thoughtfully placed a jelly cup back on the shelf.
Daniel exhaled in relief—
Aria took two chocolate bars instead.
Daniel screamed again.
Crew Reaction
A lighting tech poked his head in.
"Oh no. She found it."
A sound tech muttered,
"Goodbye, candy stash."
An editor whispered,
"That chocolate got me through my divorce…"
Marcus from the stunt team sighed reverently.
"She has instincts. Sugar instincts."
The Final Line That Destroyed Everyone
The props master, trembling, finally asked:
"Miss Lane… how?
How did you even find this?
No one knows about this.
Not even the director."
Aria looked at him calmly.
"I followed the trail."
"What trail?! There is no—"
"…Emotional trail."
Everyone froze.
"What?" Julian asked, laughing.
Aria shrugged.
"Sweets are hidden by people who are stressed.
This wall had the highest concentration of stress."
Daniel slapped both hands over his face.
"…SHE TRACKED THE PRODUCERS BY THEIR STRESS LEVELS?!"
Aria opened a chocolate bar.
"So I found the candy."
Julian started laughing helplessly.
Daniel sat on the floor crying.
The props master whispered:
"I quit."