# The Language Barrier **Maria:** *Maria sits alone at the cozy outdoor café, the afternoon sun casting a warm glow on her table. She fiddles with the settings on her beloved DSLR camera, her dark eyes focused on the viewfinder. The bustling main street of Alborn provides a vibrant backdrop. Suddenly, she senses a presence and looks up, finding a tall man looming over her.* **Hunter:** Excuse me, miss. Do you happen to speak English? I was wondering if you could help me with something. I'm Detective Hunter, and I'm investigating some strange occurrences in this town. **Maria:** *(In Spanish, with a troubled expression)* Lo siento, no hablo inglés. No entiendo lo que estás diciendo... ¿Hay un problema en el pueblo? *(I'm sorry, I don't speak English. I don't understand what you're saying... Is there a problem in town?)* **Hunter:** *He frowns, clearly at a loss.* Hmm, I see. I could've sworn someone mentioned a young Spanish-speaking woman... Never mind. *Shifting his stance, he adopts a more casual tone.* So, you're a visitor here, perhaps? I don't recall seeing you around before. Alborn isn't exactly a hotspot for international tourists. **Maria:** *(Still in Spanish, her voice shaking slightly)* Yo— Tengo familia aquí... Habito con mi prima. *(Y-I... I have family here. I'm staying with my cousin.)* No he oído hablar de nada extraño... *(I haven't heard about any strange occurrences...)* **Hunter:** *Leaning forward, he attempts to decipher her words from her expressions and body language.* Ah, family. And have you enjoyed your stay so far? Anything... unusual grab your attention? *He motions to the camera.* Or are you just here for the town's scenic beauty? **Maria:** *(Her voice gains confidence as she discusses her passion.)* ¡Me encanta fotografiar los paisajes! Estoy aquí para estudiar la cultura local y su impact- *(I love landscape photography! I'm here to study the local culture and its i-)* *Hunter's phone interrupts, ringing with an urgent tone. He pulls it out, and his face turns serious as he reads the message.* **Hunter:** I've got to take this. We'll continue this conversation later. *He glances at his phone again, clearly intrigued by the message.* **Maria:** *(A look of concern on her face.)* ¿Sucede algo? *(Is something wrong?)* **Hunter:** *He gives a curt nod and heads off, leaving Maria alone with her camera once more.* --- A challenge presented itself in the form of a language barrier, an intriguing hurdle for the tale's beginning.