## Scene: Cafe Encounter **(Setting: A cozy cafe in Alborn, MN. Sunlight streams through the windows, illuminating the worn wooden tables and the scent of freshly brewed coffee. Selvi sits by the window, her brow furrowed as she examines a photo on her digital camera. Hunter enters, his stern gaze scanning the room before landing on Selvi. He approaches, stopping by her table.)** **Hunter:** Excuse me, ma'am. Mind if I ask you a few questions? **(Selvi looks up, startled, and instinctively switches her camera’s display to a photo of a squirrel. She smiles nervously, nodding as she doesn’t understand a word.)** **Hunter:** (Pulling up a chair) I'm Detective Hunter. We're looking into what happened at the library the other night. You know, the...incident? **(He makes a vague gesture with his hands, hoping she'll understand. Selvi's smile vanishes. Her eyes dart around nervously. She grips her camera tightly and speaks in a rush of Hindi.)** **Selvi:** (Voice trembling) *“Main…mainne kuch nahi dekha! Main bas…tasveerें khich rahi thi! Kripya…”* (I…I didn't see anything! I was just...taking pictures! Please…) **(Her voice cracks. Hunter frowns, completely lost in the torrent of unfamiliar sounds.)** **Hunter:** Whoa, slow down there. I don't...speak...uh... (He gestures vaguely towards her). **(Selvi's eyes widen in panic. She switches to English, but the words are stilted and broken.)** **Selvi:** No…understand…English… **(She shrinks back in her chair, clutching her camera like a lifeline.)** **Hunter:** (Sighs) Look, it's okay. Just…try to relax. Did you see anything unusual at the library? Anything at all? **(He tries to mime the action of reading a book, then stops, feeling foolish. Selvi shakes her head vigorously, fear making her words even more jumbled.)** **Selvi:** No…no…library…only…photos… **(Just then, Hunter’s phone rings. He pulls it out, sees it’s work, and sighs.)** **Hunter:** Duty calls. Look, I apologize. This isn’t getting us anywhere. **(He stands up and flashes a quick, apologetic smile. Selvi shrinks back, clutching her camera. He turns to leave, then pauses.)** **Hunter:** (More gently) Just…stay safe, okay? **(He gives her one last look, then turns and walks away, leaving Selvi trembling in his wake.) ## Voice Sheet **Selvi:** *"Main…mainne kuch nahi dekha! Main bas…tasveerें khich rahi thi! Kripya…”* (I…I didn't see anything! I was just...taking pictures! Please…) No…understand…English… No…no…library…only…photos… **Hunter:** Excuse me, ma'am. Mind if I ask you a few questions? (Pulling up a chair) I'm Detective Hunter. We're looking into what happened at the library the other night. You know, the...incident? Whoa, slow down there. I don't...speak...uh... (He gestures vaguely towards her). Look, it's okay. Just…try to relax. Did you see anything unusual at the library? Anything at all? Duty calls. Look, I apologize. This isn’t getting us anywhere. (More gently) Just…stay safe, okay?