# Voice Sheet: The Café Encounter --- Hunter: "Excuse me, ma'am? Mind if I sit down for a moment?" Selvi: *(looks up from her camera, startled)* "Haan? Aap kaun hain?" *(Yes? Who are you?)* Hunter: "I'm Detective Hunter, with the county sheriff's office. I'm investigating some disappearances around town. Were you anywhere near the old mill on Route 7 last Tuesday evening?" Selvi: *(her eyes widening, her hands tightening around the camera)* "Oh... woh jagah... haan, main wahin thi. Mujhe wahan kuch bahut ajeeb dikha. Bahut darawna." *(Oh... that place... yes, I was there. I saw something very strange there. Very frightening.)* Hunter: "I'm sorry — I didn't catch any of that. Do you speak English?" Selvi: *(shaking her head slowly, visibly frustrated)* "English... nahi. Nahi. Main Hindi bolti hoon. Mujhe maaf kijiye." *(English... no. No. I speak Hindi. Forgive me.)* Hunter: "Hindi. Okay. Alright, that's... that's a challenge. Look, I can see you're shaken up about something. Can you — maybe show me something on the camera?" Selvi: *(understanding his gesture toward the camera, she begins scrolling through photos with trembling fingers)* "Yeh dekhiye... yeh photo maine usi raat li thi. Yeh aadmi... yeh aadmi kisi ko jungle mein kheench ke le jaa raha tha. Mujhe bahut darr laga." *(Look at this... I took this photo that same night. This man... this man was dragging someone into the woods. I was so scared.)* Hunter: *(leaning in to look at the camera screen, squinting)* "Is that — that's the tree line behind the mill. And that figure... Ma'am, can I — can I see that again? Who is that?" Selvi: *(pointing at the blurry figure in the photograph, her voice shaking)* "Main nahi jaanti yeh kaun hai. Lekin woh bahut bada tha, aur woh doosre insaan ko ghaseet raha tha. Main chilla nahi paayi. Main wahin chhupi rahi." *(I don't know who this is. But he was very large, and he was dragging another person. I couldn't scream. I stayed hidden right there.)* Hunter: "I wish I could understand you. I really do. You're clearly trying to tell me something important. That photo — that's something. That's definitely something." Selvi: *(nodding vigorously, sensing he recognizes the significance)* "Haan! Haan, aapko samajhna hoga! Woh insaan khatre mein hai — ya shayad ab tak..." *(Yes! Yes, you have to understand! That person is in danger — or maybe by now...)* Hunter: "Okay, hold on — let me think. I need to get a translator. Is there someone I can call who —" Selvi: *(trying a different approach, miming a phone with her hand and shaking her head)* "Yahan koi nahi hai jo Hindi samjhe. Main akeli hoon yahan. Study abroad... mera program... koi nahi hai." *(There is nobody here who understands Hindi. I am alone here. Study abroad... my program... there is nobody.)* Hunter: "Study abroad — okay, so you're a student. That's a start. And you're alone out here in Alborn? That's rough. Listen, I'm going to figure this out. That picture on your camera might be the first real lead I've —" *(Hunter's phone rings sharply. He glances at the screen and his jaw tightens.)* Hunter: "Damn it. I have to take this." *(answering the phone)* "Hunter here. ...Yeah. ...Where? I'm on my way." Selvi: *(watching him stand, panic crossing her face)* "Nahi — aap jaa rahe hain? Abhi nahi! Maine aapko sab kuch nahi bataya! Please — please rukiye!" *(No — you're leaving? Not now! I haven't told you everything! Please — please stop!)* Hunter: *(holding up a hand gently, pointing to himself, then to her, then back to the café)* "I'll come back. I will come back. Okay? Stay — stay here if you can." *(He places his card on the table and taps it twice.)* "Call that number. Anyone who can translate — call." Selvi: *(picking up the card, clutching it along with her camera, her voice quiet and unsteady)* "Theek hai. Main yaheen rahungi. Lekin jaldi aaiye... please. Waqt nahi hai." *(Okay. I will stay right here. But come quickly... please. There is no time.)* Hunter: *(pausing at the door, looking back at her with a conflicted expression)* "I don't know what you just said. But I heard you." *(He pushes through the café door and disappears into the gray Alborn afternoon.)* ---