*** **SCENE START** **INT. ALBOR CAFE - DAY** The Alborn Cafe is a cozy spot, smelling faintly of cinnamon and brewing coffee. Sunlight streams through the window, illuminating dust motes dancing in the air. SELVI (30), her face thoughtful, sits at a small table by the window. Her trusty camera rests on the table beside her, a silent companion. She’s engrossed in reviewing photos, her brow furrowed in concentration, a slight melancholy settling around her. HERALD (35), sharp-eyed and exuding an air of quiet authority, enters the cafe. His gaze sweeps the room, assessing, before landing on Selvi. He walks towards her, his movements deliberate. <center>HUNTER</center> > Excuse me, miss? Selvi looks up, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She offers a small, tentative smile, then returns her attention to her camera. <center>HUNTER</center> > (A little louder) > Miss? I’m Detective Hunter. I’m investigating a few things in town, and I was hoping you might have seen something… unusual. Selvi’s smile fades, replaced by a look of deep unease. She clutches her camera a little tighter. <center>SELVI</center> > (In Hindi, her voice trembling) > " woh... woh khaufnak tha, saheb. ek awaaz... jaise koi cheekh raha ho, aur phir woh... woh sab gayab ho gaya. Sab kuch. Meri aankhon ke saamne. " Hunter stares at her, his brow creasing in confusion. The words are a foreign melody, beautiful but utterly indecipherable. He tries a different tack. <center>HUNTER</center> > You speak Hindi? That’s… I don’t suppose you speak any English? Selvi shakes her head, her eyes wide and filled with a fresh wave of distress. <center>SELVI</center> > (In Hindi, more urgently) > " nahi, saheb. Maine kuch nahi dekha... sirf woh jo akela tha, aur phir woh gaya. Bhut daraavna tha. " Hunter can only offer a helpless shrug, his frustration evident. He pulls out a small notebook and pen, scribbling something down. <center>HUNTER</center> > Okay. So… you saw something. Someone… disappear? Was it yesterday? Around dusk? Selvi nods eagerly, relieved that he seems to be grasping *something*. <center>SELVI</center> > (In Hindi, a torrent of words) > " haan, haan! Kal shaam. Mai yahan baithi thi, aur uss taraf dekha. Ek aadmi tha, chal raha tha, aur phir... ek roshni daud gayi aur woh chala gaya. Jaise woh tha hi nahi. " Hunter watches her, trying to glean meaning from her agitated gestures and the tone of her voice. He’s clearly struggling. <center>HUNTER</center> > A light? Like a… a flashlight? Selvi frowns, not understanding the word. She gestures vaguely upwards and then mimes a bright flash with her hands. <center>SELVI</center> > (In Hindi) > " nahi, aisa nahi. Ek bada, tez chamak. Suraj se bhi tez! Aur woh gayab. Jaise dharti mein sama gaya. " Suddenly, Hunter’s phone BUZZES insistently in his pocket. He pulls it out, glances at the screen, and his demeanor shifts instantly. <center>HUNTER</center> > Dammit. Look, I’m sorry, I have to go. Something’s come up. He pockets his phone, his gaze lingering on Selvi for a moment, a look of both concern and helplessness etched on his face. <center>HUNTER</center> > (To himself, but loud enough for Selvi to hear) > This is going nowhere. He give Selvi a curt nod, a silent apology and a promise of a continued, albeit difficult, investigation. Then, he turns and heads out of the cafe, leaving Selvi alone again with her camera and her unsettling memories. **SCENE END** *** ## VOICE SHEET **Selvi:** "woh... woh khaufnak tha, saheb. ek awaaz... jaise koi cheekh raha ho, aur phir woh... woh sab gayab ho gaya. Sab kuch. Meri aankhon ke saamne." **Hunter:** Excuse me, miss? **Hunter:** Miss? I’m Detective Hunter. I’m investigating a few things in town, and I was hoping you might have seen something… unusual. **Selvi:** "nahi, saheb. Maine kuch nahi dekha... sirf woh jo akela tha, aur phir woh gaya. Bhut daraavna tha." **Hunter:** You speak Hindi? That’s… I don’t suppose you speak any English? **Hunter:** Okay. So… you saw something. Someone… disappear? Was it yesterday? Around dusk? **Selvi:** " haan, haan! Kal shaam. Mai yahan baithi thi, aur uss taraf dekha. Ek aadmi tha, chal raha tha, aur phir... ek roshni daud gayi aur woh chala gaya. Jaise woh tha hi nahi. " **Hunter:** A light? Like a… a flashlight? **Selvi:** " nahi, aisa nahi. Ek bada, tez chamak. Suraj se bhi tez! Aur woh gayab. Jaise dharti mein sama gaya. " **Hunter:** Dammit. Look, I’m sorry, I have to go. Something’s come up. **Hunter:** This is going nowhere.