## Scene: The Cozy Cafe The aroma of fresh coffee and apple pie hung heavy in the air of the quaint cafe. Isabella, perched on a stool by the window, absentmindedly traced the outline of her camera lens with her fingertip. Her reflection stared back, eyes tinged with a fragility that belied her youthful features. She'd witnessed something troubling, something that sent a shiver down her spine even as she tried to convince herself it was nothing. A shadow fell across her table, pulling her from her thoughts. She looked up to see a tall man with piercing blue eyes and a rigid demeanor standing before her. He wore the uniform of a local police officer, his face etched with a weariness that spoke of long hours and unsolved mysteries. "Excuse me, miss," the man said, his voice deep and gravelly. "I think you might be able to help me with something." Isabella's brow furrowed. **Isabella:** "Mi dispiace, non parlo inglese." His brow furrowed in return. He stared at her for a beat, clearly confused. **Hunter:** "Ma'am, I need to ask you some questions. Do you understand English?" Isabella shook her head slowly, her expression tightening. **Isabella:** "Mi scusi, ma non capisco." Hunter sighed, frustration simmering beneath his stoic facade. He gestured to the café's empty chairs. **Hunter:** "There's been a… let's just say an incident. I need to understand what you saw." Isabella hesitated, her gaze flitting between Hunter's stern face and the bustling street outside. **Isabella:** "C'era… una scena terribile. Un uomo…sparito. Nel bosco." Her voice trembled, her words rushed and punctuated by fear. Hunter leaned in, his eyes narrowed. "A man vanished?" Isabella nodded sharply, her eyes filling with tears. **Isabella:** "Non so cosa sia successo. Ma… c'era sangue…" Hunter's expression hardened. The mention of blood sent a chill through him. **Hunter:** "Can you describe him? What did he look like?" Isabella struggled to find the words, her mind reeling under the weight of the memory. **Isabella:** "Alto… capelli scuri, occhi verdi. Era—" **Hunter:** _ Before she could finish her sentence, Hunter's phone buzzed insistently. He glanced at the screen, his face grim. "_Duty calls,"_ he muttered, a hint of apology in his tone. He scribbled something on a napkin and pushed it towards her. **Hunter:** "My number. Call if you remember anything else." He shot her a curt nod and turned to leave, disappearing into the bustling crowd outside. Isabella stared at the napkin, the weight of the day settling onto her shoulders like a shroud. She clutched her camera tighter, the familiar weight somehow grounding amidst the chaos blooming in her mind. The past few days had been unsettling, filled with whispers and shadows. And now, this encounter, with its unspoken threat and lingering fear… **Voice Sheet:** **Isabella:** * "Mi dispiace, non parlo inglese." (I'm sorry, I don't speak English.) * "Mi scusi, ma non capisco." (Excuse me, but I don't understand.) * "C'era… una scena terribile. Un uomo…sparito. Nel bosco." (There was... a terrible scene. A man… disappeared. In the woods.) * "Non so cosa sia successo. Ma… c'era sangue…" (I don't know what happened. But… there was blood…) * "Alto… capelli scuri, occhi verdi. Era—" (Tall... dark hair, green eyes. He was—) **Hunter:** * "Excuse me, miss. I think you might be able to help me with something." * "Ma'am, I need to ask you some questions. Do you understand English?" * "_Duty calls"