Run: 2026-02-19-01KHVP2SWP1EJ40NKM0QRNH8YE

**Hunter:** [Approaching the cafe table, flashing his badge] "Excuse me, miss. You're the exchange student, right? Selvi? I'm Detective Hunter. I'm investigating the recent disappearances around the apple festival grounds." **Selvi:** [Startled, jumping slightly and looking up from her camera] "जी? आप कौन हैं? क्या हुआ?" *(Yes? Who are you? What happened?)* **Hunter:** [Frowning slightly, maintaining his stiff, no-nonsense posture] "Right. You don't understand me. I was told you were out taking landscape pictures near the orchards this morning. Did you see anyone wandering into the woods?" **Selvi:** [Her face pales. Her hands start trembling as she clutches her camera tightly to her chest.] "सेब के बागीचे में? हाँ, मैं वहाँ थी! मैंने कुछ देखा... कोई आदमी वहाँ से अचानक गायब हो गया! यह बहुत डरावना था।" *(In the apple orchard? Yes, I was there! I saw something... a man suddenly disappeared from there! It was very scary.)* **Hunter:** [Sighing, rubbing the back of his neck in absolute confusion] "Ma'am, I don't understand a single syllable of that. Is that Hindi? I need to know if you saw where the missing people went." **Selvi:** [Frustrated, shaking her head vehemently] "मुझे अंग्रेज़ी नहीं आती! कृपया, मेरी तस्वीरें देखिए। मैंने सब कुछ अपने कैमरे में कैद किया है।" *(I don't know English! Please, look at my pictures. I captured everything on my camera.)* **Hunter:** [Holding both hands up in a calming gesture, projecting his authoritative Marine baritone] "Okay, let's take a breath. Deep breaths. You're shaking like a leaf. I just need a yes or no. Did you see a man in a red jacket?" [Points to his own coat, then points outside toward the woods] **Selvi:** [Frantically tapping the small digital screen of her camera, tears welling in her eyes] "आप समझ नहीं रहे हैं! यहाँ तस्वीर में देखिए। वह आदमी पेड़ों के पास था, और अगली ही तस्वीर में वह नहीं था! कोई उसे ले गया!" *(You're not understanding! Look here in the picture. The man was near the trees, and in the very next picture he wasn't! Someone took him!)* **Hunter:** [Leaning over the cafe table, utterly lost but noticing her terror] "You definitely saw something. Okay. Let me look." [He points firmly to the camera in her hands, then to his own eyes] "Show me." **Selvi:** [Reluctantly setting the camera on the table, pointing at the zoomed-in screen with a trembling finger] "यहाँ... इस बड़े पेड़ के पीछे। वहाँ एक और परछाई थी।" *(Here... behind this big tree. There was another shadow there.)* **Hunter:** [Squinting at the high-resolution landscape photo] "This is great focus... Wait. Right there by the cider tents. Is that a struggle? What is that blur next to him?" **Selvi:** [Nodding eagerly, relieved he sees something] "हाँ, हाँ! परछाई ने उसे खींच लिया! यह कोई जानवर नहीं था, अधिकारी जी!" *(Yes, yes! The shadow pulled him! It wasn't an animal, Mr. Officer!)* **Hunter:** [Standing up straight, entirely frustrated by the language barrier] "Damn it. I don't know a lick of Hindi. You clearly found our crime scene, but I can't interview you like this. I'm going to find a translator—" [Hunter's cell phone suddenly rings with a loud, jarring tone. He quickly pulls it from his coat pocket.] **Hunter:** "Hunter. Go." [His jaw tightens as he listens] "You're kidding me. Another one? By the Alborn welcome sign? Secure the perimeter immediately. Don't let anyone trample the evidence. I'm on my way." **Hunter:** [Hangs up the phone and turns a stern gaze back to Selvi. He points at the camera, then pushes a flat palm toward the table to sign 'stay.'] "I have to leave. Emergency. Keep that camera safe. Do not delete anything. I will be back with someone who speaks your language. Stay out of the woods. Stay right here." **Selvi:** [Jumping out of her chair, looking terrified as he turns his back out the cafe door] "रुकिए! आप मुझे यहाँ ऐसे छोड़कर कहाँ जा रहे हैं? वह परछाई मेरे पीछे भी आ सकती है!" *(Wait! Where are you going, leaving me here like this? That shadow could come after me too!)*