**One Voice Sheet: The Cozy Corner Café, Alborn** **CHARACTERS** **MELANIE (30):** German exchange student. Shaken, clutching her camera. Speaks only German. **HUNTER (35):** Detective. Stoic, impatient, Midwestern. Speaks only English. *** **HUNTER** (Flash of a badge, voice low and gravelly) Excuse me, Miss? I’m Detective Ellis. Alborn Police Department. Do you mind if I sit? **MELANIE** (Startled, dropping a lens cap) Oh! Ähm... Ich... ja? Sind Sie von der Polizei? *(Um... I... yes? Are you from the police?)* **HUNTER** (Sits heavily) I’ll take that as a yes. Look, I know you’re not from around here, but folks saw you near the fairgrounds yesterday evening. Right before the eerie stuff started happening near the apple orchard. **MELANIE** (Eyes widening, voice trembling) Der Apfelgarten? Meinen Sie die Bäume? Es war schrecklich. Es war so neblig. Ich wollte nur das Licht einfangen, für meine Landschaftsbilder... *(The apple orchard? Do you mean the trees? It was terrible. It was so foggy. I just wanted to catch the light, for my landscape pictures...)* **HUNTER** (Frowning, leaning in) Miss, I’m going to need you to slow down. I don’t speak... is that German? I need to know what you saw. Did you see a man? About six-foot, wearing a flannel jacket? **MELANIE** (Shaking her head rapidly, tears welling up) Ich verstehe Sie nicht! Ich spreche kein Englisch! Aber ich habe es gesehen... durch das Objektiv. Da war jemand im Schatten. Und dann... der Schrei. *(I don't understand you! I speak no English! But I saw it... through the lens. There was someone in the shadows. And then... the scream.)* **HUNTER** (Rubbing his temples) Okay, we have a communication problem here. "Nein" English? None? **MELANIE** (Pushes the camera slightly toward him, then pulls it back defensively) Beweise. Ich glaube, ich habe Beweise. Aber ich habe Angst. Dieser Ort... er ist nicht sicher. *(Evidence. I think I have evidence. But I am afraid. This place... it is not safe.)* **HUNTER** (Points a thick finger at the camera body) The camera. Pictures? Did you take pictures of the specific location? **MELANIE** (Stares at his finger, then his eyes, pleading) Bitte... Sie müssen mir helfen. Ich glaube, er hat mich gesehen. Der Mann im Wald. *(Please... you must help me. I think he saw me. The man in the woods.)* **HUNTER** (Sighs, hearing the tone of distress but missing the words) I can see you’re upset, ma’am. I’m trying to help. Look, let’s try this— *(Sound of a cell phone ringing sharply. Hunter pulls it out.)* **HUNTER** (Into phone) Ellis. ... Now? ... A second disappearance? Yeah. Yeah, I’m five minutes out. *(He stands up abruptly, holster creaking.)* **HUNTER** (To Melanie) I have to go. Stay here. Stay. Do not leave Alborn. **MELANIE** (Panicked) Was? Gehen Sie? Aber... was soll ich denn tun? Lassen Sie mich nicht allein! *(What? You are going? But... what am I supposed to do? Don't leave me alone!)* **HUNTER** (Already walking away) Just... drink your coffee. I’ll find a translator and be back. Don't move. **MELANIE** (Whispering into her coffee cup as he exits) Ich verstehe kein Wort... *(I don't understand a word...)*