**Voice Sheet – Café Conversation in Alborn, MN** *(Ambient café sounds: soft chatter, clinking cups, distant coffee machine hiss. Marie sits at a corner table, quietly reviewing photos on her camera. Hunter enters, nods at the barista, and approaches her with a notepad in hand.)* **Hunter:** Ma’am? Mind if I ask you a few questions? I’m Detective Hunter. We’ve had some… unusual activity in town lately, and I’m talking to everyone who’s been around the area. *(Marie looks up, startled. She instinctively holds her camera closer. She studies his face, sees his badge, and begins to speak urgently—fast, agitated French.)* **Marie:** *Mon Dieu… ce que j’ai vu… dans les bois, près du verger. Une lumière… pas naturelle. Et ce bruit—comme un cri, mais pas humain. J’ai pris des photos… mais maintenant, elles ont disparu de ma carte mémoire. Quelqu’un m’observe, j’en suis sûre…* *(She gestures wildly toward her camera, eyes wide with fear. Hunter blinks, clearly not understanding a word.)* **Hunter:** Uh… I’m sorry. I don’t… you’re speaking French, right? I don’t speak French. *Parlez-vous anglais?* **Marie:** *Je ne parle pas anglais… s’il vous plaît, vous devez m’écouter! Il y a quelque chose dans cette ville… quelque chose de mauvais!* *(She points out the window toward the edge of town, toward the orchards. Hunter frowns, trying to follow her gestures. He pulls out his phone, opens a translation app, and taps quickly.)* **Hunter:** (reading from phone) “I don’t speak English… you must listen to me! There’s something in this town… something bad!” *(He looks up, alarmed.)* You saw something? **Marie:** *Oui!* (She nods emphatically.) *Dans les pommes… le verger. La nuit dernière. J’ai entendu… des voix. Mais personne n’était là. Et la lumière… verte. Comme l’enfer.* *(Hunter takes a note, jaw tightening. He starts typing again.)* **Hunter:** (reading) “In the apples… the orchard. Last night. I heard voices. But no one was there. And the light… green. Like hell.” *(He exhales sharply, looking toward the window as if he can see through to the orchard. Before he can respond, his phone rings. He answers it quickly.)* **Hunter:** Hunter. … What? Say that again. … The ranger at the north trail? Gone? No sign? … On my way. *(He pockets the phone, looks back at Marie with urgent concern.)* **Hunter:** I’ve gotta go. But stay here. Stay inside. Don’t go near the orchard, you hear me? *(Marie doesn’t understand but sees the gravity in his face. She nods slowly. Hunter starts to leave, then turns back.)* **Hunter:** (softly, almost to himself) Green light, huh… First one who might’ve actually seen something — and I can’t even talk to her. *(He gives her one last glance, then strides out. Marie watches him go, clutching her camera, eyes filled with dread.)* **[END SCENE]**