# Voice Sheet: The Language Barrier --- **Melanie:** *(murmuring to herself in German, scrolling through photos on her camera)* "Das kann nicht wahr sein... das Gesicht... im Fenster..." **Hunter:** *(approaching her table, pulling out a chair)* "Ma'am? I'm Detective Hunter with the Alborn Police Department. I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind." **Melanie:** *(startled, looking up with wide eyes)* "Was? Oh... Entschuldigung, ich verstehe nicht—" *(gesturing nervously)* "Kein Englisch... sorry, no English." **Hunter:** *(frowning, pulling out a small notepad)* "You don't speak any English at all? Just—hold on." *(makes a frustrated sound, pointing to himself)* "Detective. Police." *(shows his badge)* "You understand? Police." **Melanie:** *(nodding quickly, face pale)* "Ja, ja... Polizei. I understand police." *(her voice trembling in German)* "Aber ich habe nichts gesehen... oder vielleicht doch? Ich weiß nicht mehr, was real ist." **Hunter:** *(exhaling sharply, rubbing his temple)* "Okay... I'm going to need you to slow down. I don't speak—" *(gestures vaguely)* "—whatever that is. German?" *(pause)* "Look, I just need to know if you were near the old Henderson orchard last night. There was an incident." **Melanie:** *(looking increasingly distressed, speaking rapidly in German)* "Der Obstgarten? Ja, ich war dort! Ich wollte Fotos machen—vom Sonnenuntergang, verstehen Sie? Aber dann..." *(she glances down at her camera screen, turning it toward him with shaking hands)* "Sehen Sie? Sehen Sie das? Da ist jemand im Fenster! Da war niemand, als ich das Foto gemacht habe!" **Hunter:** *(staring at the camera screen, then at her, his confusion evident)* "I—okay, I have absolutely no idea what you're saying, but you clearly saw something." *(leans forward, trying to catch her eye)* "Hey. Hey, look at me. You're shaking. Are you okay?" **Melanie:** *(pulling her camera back protectively against her chest, responding in broken, heavily accented English)* "I... I am okay. Just... scared. The photo... there is... someone." *(switches back to German in her distress)* "Es ist nicht normal! Das Gesicht... es war nicht menschlich!" **Hunter:** *(pressing his lips together, clearly frustrated by the communication barrier)* "Someone? In the photo?" *(he points to her camera)* "Can I see? Again?" **Melanie:** *(hesitating, then slowly showing him the camera again, pointing at a dark smudge in one of the windows)* "Da. Dort. Look." **Hunter:** *(squinting at the screen, going very still)* "...I'll be damned." *(looks back at her intently)* "Listen, I'm going to need you to come down to the station. We'll get a translator. Can you do that? Station?" *(mimics driving a car)* "Police station?" **Melanie:** *(biting her lip, nodding hesitantly)* "Ja. Polizei station. I come." **Hunter:** *(standing up, tucking his notepad away)* "Good. Stay put, I'll come back for you in—" *(His phone rings sharply. He answers, listens briefly, his expression hardening.)* **Hunter:** "Hunter here... When? ...Damn it. No, I'm across town. I'll be there in ten." *(hangs up, looks at Melanie with a tight expression)* "I have to go. Stay here. Don't leave town. You understand? Stay. Here." **Melanie:** *(nodding again, her hands still clutching the camera)* "I stay. Bitte... find out what is happening. I am... scared." **Hunter:** *(already walking away, tossing a look over his shoulder)* "Yeah. Me too, lady. Me too." --- *End of Voice Sheet*