**Voice Sheet: Café Scene – Maria & Hunter** --- ### **Scene Context:** *Maria sits at a small wooden table in the cozy, dimly lit **Alborn Café**, her fingers tracing the edges of her camera. The scent of cinnamon and coffee lingers in the air. She looks troubled, her brow furrowed as she flips through the photos on her camera’s display. The door chimes softly as **Hunter**, in his worn leather jacket and no-nonsense expression, steps inside. He spots her and approaches, pulling out the chair across from her without waiting for an invitation.* --- ### **Dialogue:** **HUNTER** *(direct, no preamble)* "Maria, right? You were at the apple festival last night." *(Maria looks up sharply, her dark eyes wide. She clutches her camera tighter, her knuckles whitening. She responds in rapid, shaky Spanish, her voice trembling.)* **MARIA** *(Spanish, urgent)* "¡Dios mío! ¿Cómo sabe mi nombre? Yo… yo no hablo inglés. No entiendo—" *(Hunter frowns, holding up a hand to stop her. He pulls out a small notepad, flips it open, and points to a name scribbled in messy handwriting—*Maria Lopez*—along with a photo of her from the festival’s guest list.)* **HUNTER** *(slow, deliberate, as if speaking to a child)* "Maria. Lopez. *Festival.* You. There. Last night." *(Maria’s breath hitches. She shakes her head, her voice rising in pitch as she gestures wildly with her free hand.)* **MARIA** *(Spanish, frantic)* "¡Sí, sí, estuve allí! Pero… ¡vi algo! Alguien… alguien *desapareció* frente a mí. ¡No fue un accidente! ¡Lo juro! Había sangre en el suelo, y luego—" *(she swallows hard, her voice breaking)* "—y luego *nada*. Como si nunca hubiera estado allí." *(Hunter’s expression darkens. He doesn’t understand a word, but her body language—wide eyes, trembling hands, the way she keeps glancing toward the door—tells him enough. He leans in, lowering his voice.)* **HUNTER** "Slow down. *Slow.*" *(He mimes writing with his fingers, then taps the notepad.)* "Write it. What you saw." *(Maria hesitates, then snatches the notepad and pen. She scribbles in Spanish, her handwriting messy with haste. She slides it back to him, pointing at the words as she speaks.)* **MARIA** *(Spanish, pointing at the notepad)* "¡Mire! *‘Vi a un hombre cerca de los árboles. Gritó. Luego… se fue. No había nadie. Solo sangre.’* ¡Alguien lo llevó! ¡Estoy segura!" *(Hunter stares at the notepad, then at her. He exhales sharply through his nose, rubbing his temple. His phone buzzes in his pocket. He pulls it out, glances at the screen, and curses under his breath.)* **HUNTER** *(to Maria, pointing at her, then at the notepad)* "You. Stay. Here." *(He stabs a finger at the table.)* "Don’t. Move." *(Maria nods quickly, gripping her camera like a lifeline. Hunter answers his phone, his voice clipped.)* **HUNTER** *(into phone, turning slightly away)* "Yeah. I’m at the café. Got a witness—sort of. No, she doesn’t speak English. Yeah, I’ll handle it." *(He hangs up, shoving the phone back in his pocket. He looks at Maria, his expression unreadable.)* "I gotta go. But you—" *(he points at her again)* "—you don’t leave town. *Understand?*" *(Maria nods, but her eyes are still wide with fear. Hunter hesitates for a second, then pulls a business card from his wallet and slaps it on the table in front of her. He taps it twice.)* **HUNTER** "My number. If you remember *anything* else, you call. *Got it?*" *(Maria picks up the card, staring at it like it’s a foreign object. She doesn’t respond. Hunter sighs, then turns and strides out of the café, the door chiming behind him. Maria exhales shakily, her fingers tightening around the card. She looks down at her camera, then back at the door, her mind racing.)* --- **End Scene.** --- ### **Notes for Voice Acting:** - **Maria:** - *Tone:* Shaken, urgent, fearful. Her Spanish should sound natural and rapid, with pauses only when she’s trying to gather her thoughts or when Hunter interrupts. - *Body Language:* Clutching her camera, wide-eyed, gesturing frantically. Her voice cracks when she mentions the blood and the disappearance. - *Key Phrases to Emphasize:* *"¡Vi algo!"* (I saw something!), *"¡Lo juro!"* (I swear it!), *"¡Alguien lo llevó!"* (Someone took him!). - **Hunter:** - *Tone:* Gruff, no-nonsense, impatient. His speech is slow and deliberate when he’s trying to communicate, but his natural cadence is clipped and direct. - *Body Language:* Leaning in when he’s trying to understand, pointing aggressively when giving orders. His frustration is palpable when he can’t make himself clear. - *Key Phrases to Emphasize:* *"Slow down."* (said through gritted teeth), *"You. Stay. Here."* (each word punctuated), *"Don’t. Move."* (final, authoritative). - **Atmosphere:** - The café should feel warm but tense, with the hum of quiet conversation and clinking cups in the background. Maria’s fear should make the scene feel claustrophobic, even in the open space.