Run: 2026-02-16-01KHM5F4ZXD5XR5S3XEK5ZS0WW

**VOICE SHEET - SCENE AT CAFE** **SETTING:** A small, quiet cafe in Alborn, MN. Mid-morning. MELANIE sits alone at a wrought-iron table, a half-finished cup of coffee cooling in front of her. She is intently scrolling through photos on her digital camera, her brow furrowed. **CHARACTERS:** * **MELANIE:** 30, German. Voice is soft, educated, but currently strained with worry. * **HUNTER:** 35, Detective. Voice is flat, direct, with the clipped efficiency of a military background. **[SCENE START]** *(Sounds of low cafe chatter, clinking of cups. HUNTER’s footsteps approach the table and stop.)* **Hunter:** "Excuse me. Mind if I sit?" *(A brief pause. MELANIE looks up, startled. She gives a small, uncertain nod. HUNTER pulls out the opposite chair and sits.)* **Hunter:** "Name's Hunter. I'm with the police. I understand you were down by the old train trestle yesterday afternoon. Around four?" *(MELANIE’s eyes widen slightly. She glances at her camera, then back at HUNTER. She swallows hard before speaking.)* **Melanie:** *(Voice low, troubled)* "Ja, ich war dort. Ich habe Fotos gemacht… die Landschaft, das Licht war perfekt. Aber dann… dann ist etwas passiert. Etwas… Seltsames." *(HUNTER leans forward slightly, his expression intent but now clouded with confusion.)* **Hunter:** "I’m sorry, I don’t… you were taking pictures? Did you see anything? Anyone?" **Melanie:** *(Shaking her head, her words coming faster, more agitated)* "Ich habe niemanden gesehen. Nicht direkt. Nur… eine Bewegung zwischen den Bäumen, dort wo der Weg in den Wald führt. Und dann dieser Ton. Es klang wie… wie ein erstickter Schrei. Ganz leise. Ich dachte, ich hätte mir das nur eingebildet. Aber jetzt, auf den Bildern…" *(She holds up her camera, pointing at the screen, her hand trembling slightly.)* **Melanie:** "Schauen Sie! Hier, im Schatten des großen Ahorns. Ist das… ist das eine Person? Oder nur ein Stein? Ich kann es nicht mehr sagen. Es macht mir Angst." *(HUNTER stares at the camera screen, then at MELANIE’s distressed face. His frustration at the language barrier is evident. He holds up a hand, trying to slow things down.)* **Hunter:** "Look, I don’t understand. A sound? A person? Do you have someone who can translate? A teacher from your program?" *(MELANIE understands the gesture but not the words. She tries again, desperate to be understood.)* **Melanie:** "Meine Kamera. Die Fotos. Vielleicht hat sie etwas festgehalten, was ich nicht gesehen habe. Bitte, Sie müssen sich die Bilder ansehen." *(Just then, the distinct, sharp ringtone of a department-issue phone cuts through the air. HUNTER grimaces, pulls the phone from his jacket pocket, and looks at the screen.)* **Hunter:** *(To himself)* "Gotta take this." *(He stands up, putting the phone to his ear.)* "Hunter." *(A pause as he listens. His posture stiffens.)* "When? Alright. Five minutes. I’m on my way." *(He ends the call and looks down at MELANIE, who is watching him with anxious, hopeful eyes.)* **Hunter:** "I have to go. Listen… stay here. Don’t go walking alone, okay? Especially not by the trestle. *Stay.*" *(He emphasizes the last word with a firm, pointed gesture at her chair and the cafe around them. He doesn’t wait for a response he knows he won’t understand, turning and striding quickly out of the cafe.)* *(MELANIE watches him go, then looks back at the haunting image on her camera screen. She wraps both hands around her coffee cup, but doesn’t drink. The cup rattles softly in the saucer.)* **[SCENE END]**