**Voice Sheet – Maria & Hunter Dialogue** *(Setting: A quiet corner of a local cafe in Alborn, MN. Morning light filters through the window. MARIA sits at a small table, reviewing photos on her camera. HUNTER enters, badge subtly visible, and approaches.)* --- **Hunter:** Ma’am? Mind if I ask you a few questions? I’m with the county investigative team. **Maria:** …Perdón? No entiendo inglés. *(She looks up, startled, fingers tightening around her camera.)* ¿Habla español? **Hunter:** *(Frowning slightly, taking a step back.)* Uh… sorry. I don’t understand Spanish. You’re not from around here, are you? **Maria:** *(Nervously switching the camera to her lap, shaking her head.)* Vi… vi algo anoche. En el bosque. No sé qué era. No era… normal. *(She gestures vaguely toward the woods outside town, eyes wide.)* ¡Había luces! Y un sonido… como un zumbido bajo. Luego… silencio. Total. **Hunter:** *(Leaning in, intrigued but frustrated.)* You saw something? Last night? Wait… "lights"? You saw lights? **Maria:** *(Nods urgently, pointing to her camera.)* Sí, sí. Tomé fotos. Pero… *(She flips through the images—blurry forest shots with faint glows.)… las mejores desaparecieron. Solo quedan estas. Algo pasó. Alguien me siguió. **Hunter:** *(Eyes narrowing, pulling out a small notebook.)* Someone followed you? You’re saying you were followed? **Maria:** *(Voice trembling.)* Un hombre… con ropa oscura. No hablaba. Me miró… y se fue. No sé quién era. ¡No sé qué está pasando aquí! Este lugar… no es seguro. **Hunter:** *(Grits his teeth, sensing genuine fear.)* Hey. It’s okay. You’re safe now. I’m a detective. I’m looking into strange things happening around town. If you saw something… anything… it could help. **Maria:** *(Looks at him, searching for trust.)* ¿Usted no cree que estoy loca? **Hunter:** I’ve seen things in my time that I can’t explain. Marines don’t scare easy. So no—I don’t think you’re crazy. *(A moment of connection. Then HUNTER’s phone rings sharply. He hesitates, then answers.)* **Hunter:** *(Into phone.)* Hunter. …What? Where? …On my way. *(He hangs up, tense.)* **Hunter:** Sorry. Gotta go. There’s been another sighting—near the old orchard. If you’re staying in town, stay indoors. And… keep those photos. **Maria:** *(Holding up camera protectively.)* ¿Promete investigar? **Hunter:** I do. Even if I don’t speak the language, I hear you. And I *see* you’re scared. That means something. *(He gives her a firm nod, then turns and strides out the door. MARIA watches him leave, clutching her camera, gaze drifting back to the forestline through the window.)* --- **END SCENE**