**Voice Sheet: Café Scene – Selvi & Hunter** --- **Setting:** *A quiet, cozy café in Alborn, MN. The scent of freshly brewed coffee lingers in the air. Selvi sits at a corner table, her camera in hand, scrolling through photos on the small screen. The door chimes as Hunter enters, his sharp eyes scanning the room before landing on her. He approaches, his posture rigid, his expression unreadable.* --- ### **Scene Dialogue** *(Hunter stops beside Selvi’s table, his shadow falling over her. She looks up, startled, clutching her camera a little tighter.)* **Hunter:** *(gruff, direct)* "You’re the foreign student, right? The one who was at the apple festival last weekend?" *(Selvi’s fingers tighten around her camera. Her breath quickens, and she shakes her head slightly, her dark eyes wide with unease. She responds in rapid Hindi, her voice trembling.)* **Selvi:** *"M-Main… main kya kar sakti hoon? Woh din… woh din bhi main wahi thi. Main… main ne kya dekh liya tha? Uske baad se… uske baad se main dar rahi hoon. Kya… kya ho raha hai yahan?"* *(Translation: "W-What can I do? I was there that day… I was there at the festival. What did I see? Since then… I’ve been so scared. What… what is happening here?")* *(Hunter frowns, his brow furrowing in confusion. He doesn’t understand a word, but her fear is unmistakable. He exhales sharply, rubbing the back of his neck.)* **Hunter:** "Look, I don’t speak… whatever language that is. But I need to ask you about what you saw. The night of the festival—did you notice anything unusual? Anyone acting strange?" *(Selvi bites her lip, her gaze darting around the café as if expecting someone to be listening. She speaks again, her voice barely above a whisper, her hands shaking.)* **Selvi:** *"Woh aadmi… uske paas ek chhota sa box tha. Usne kisi ko de diya… phir woh ladki… woh ladki gayab ho gayi. Main… main ne kisi ko batana nahi chaha, par… par main dar rahi hoon. Kya agar main bolu, toh meri bhi kya ho jayegi?"* *(Translation: "That man… he had a small box. He gave it to someone… then that girl… she disappeared. I… I didn’t want to tell anyone, but… I’m so scared. What if I speak up… what will happen to me?")* *(Hunter leans in slightly, his voice lowering but firm.)* **Hunter:** "I need you to try and tell me what you saw. Even if it’s just gestures. Point to something. Draw it. *Something.* This is important." *(Selvi hesitates, then nods shakily. She pulls a napkin toward her and grabs a pen from her bag. With trembling hands, she sketches a rough outline of a man handing a small box to a woman. She circles the box, then draws a question mark beside it. Her eyes well up as she pushes the napkin toward Hunter.)* **Selvi:** *"Yeh… yeh sahi hai. Par main… main aur kya kar sakti hoon?"* *(Translation: "This… this is right. But what… what else can I do?")* *(Hunter studies the napkin, his jaw tightening. He pulls out his phone and snaps a photo of the drawing before sliding it back to her.)* **Hunter:** "This helps. More than you know. But I need you to stay safe. Don’t go wandering around alone, especially at night. And if you remember anything else—*anything*—you find a way to tell me. Understand?" *(Selvi nods, wiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. She murmurs something in Hindi, her voice barely audible.)* **Selvi:** *"Main try karungi. Par… par agar koi puchhe, toh main kya bolungi?"* *(Translation: "I’ll try. But… but if someone asks, what should I say?")* *(Hunter’s phone rings abruptly. He glances at the screen, his expression darkening. He holds up a finger to Selvi before answering.)* **Hunter:** *(into phone, clipped)* "Hunter. What’ve you got?" *(pause)* "I’ll be there in five." *(He hangs up, shoving the phone back into his pocket. He looks at Selvi, his tone softer but urgent.)* "I’ve gotta go. But I’ll be back. Stay here. Order something. *Don’t leave.*" *(Selvi nods, wrapping her arms around herself as Hunter turns to leave. He pauses at the door, glancing back at her one last time before disappearing into the street.)* *(Selvi exhales shakily, her fingers tracing the edge of her camera. She whispers to herself in Hindi, her voice barely audible.)* **Selvi:** *"Kya main ne sahi kiya? Ya… ya main ne apni zindagi ko khatra mein dal diya?"* *(Translation: "Did I do the right thing? Or… or have I put my life in danger?")* --- **End Scene.**