## Scene: Cafe Encounter **Setting:** A cozy cafe in Alborn, MN. The smell of freshly baked apple pie wafts through the air. **Characters:** * **Maria:** Sitting by the window, her camera resting on the table beside a half-eaten pastry. She flips through photos on the camera's display, a troubled look on her face. * **Hunter:** Enters the cafe, his sharp eyes scanning the room. He spots Maria and approaches her, his expression serious. **(SOUND of cafe ambiance: Quiet chatter, clinking silverware)** **Hunter:** (Sternly) Excuse me, ma'am. You wouldn't happen to have seen anything unusual lately, would you? Around the time of the… incident at the apple orchard? **(SOUND of Maria gasping, dropping her camera on the table)** **Maria:** (Rapidly and nervously, in Spanish) **¡Dios mío! Sí, sí, algo horrible... las manzanas... la sombra... ¡no podía respirar!** **(SOUND of Hunter frowning)** **Hunter:** Uh… I'm sorry, ma'am. I don't understand a word you're saying. Do you speak English? **(Maria shakes her head frantically, eyes wide with fear)** **Maria:** (Spanish) **No inglés... por favor... manzanas... peligro...** **(Hunter runs a hand through his hair, exasperated)** **Hunter:** Look, this is important. We're looking for someone who saw what happened at the orchard. You were there, weren't you? **(He points to a photo of the orchard on her camera display)** **Maria:** (Pointing at the photo, then back at herself, eyes pleading) **Sí, sí... yo... pero... no inglés!** **(SOUND of a phone ringing)** **Hunter:** (Sighing) Look, I gotta take this. You stay put, alright? We need to figure out a way to communicate. **(He answers his phone)** **Hunter:** Hunter speaking… yeah, I know, I’m on it… **(He glances back at Maria, who looks small and terrified. He sighs again and lowers his voice) ** **Hunter:** Listen, something big just came up… gotta go. **(He hangs up the phone and throws his hands up in frustration) ** **Hunter:** (Muttering to himself) This day just keeps getting better and better… **(He gives Maria a helpless look and rushes out of the cafe) ** **(SOUND of the cafe door closing, leaving Maria alone and visibly shaken) **