Run: 2026-02-19-01KHVP48WD090QABDE65ZDZY6Y

**[SCENE START]** **Location:** The Main Street Café patio in Alborn, Minnesota. **Action:** Isabella sits at a small wrought-iron table, her hands trembling slightly as she scrolls through the digital display of her professional DSLR camera. Hunter approaches her table, flashing a police badge. Hunter: "Excuse me, miss. Detective Hunter, Alborn Police. I’m looking into the recent string of disappearances around the apple festival grounds. I was told you were out by the orchards taking pictures last night. Did you see anything unusual?" Isabella: "[Looking up, startled, then seeing the badge] La polizia? Oh, grazie a Dio! È stato terribile. Io... io stavo facendo fotografie al paesaggio, per il mio programma di studio all'estero, e..." [Her voice cracks, and she clutches her camera tightly] "Ho visto un uomo sparire nell'ombra!" Hunter: "[Frowning, thoroughly confused] Whoa, slow down. Is that Italian? Look, I don't speak a lick of whatever you're saying. Do you speak English? 'English?'" Isabella: "[Shaking her head aggressively, eyes wide and panicked] No, no inglese! Niente. Solo italiano! Guardi la mia macchina fotografica, per favore! Guardi le foto!" [She thrusts the heavy camera toward him, jabbing a shaking finger at the small illuminated screen] Hunter: "[Taking a step back, holding his hands up defensively, but peering at the screen] Okay, okay, calm down. Let's see... Just a dark picture of the Alborn apple orchards. Nothing but trees and... wait a minute. What is that blurry shape near the treeline? Is that a person being dragged?" Isabella: "[Tapping the screen frantically, her voice trembling with trauma] Sì! L'ombra! L'ho visto con i miei occhi. Qualcuno è uscito dagli alberi e lo ha preso... Non riuscivo a muovermi. Ho tanta paura, capisce?" Hunter: "[Sighing heavily, rubbing his temples in frustration] Lady, I'm a former Marine. I like things loud, clear, and straight to the point, and this guessing game isn't helping me find whoever's taking these people. I recognize genuine fear when I see it, though. You saw something bad. But we need a translator. 'Comprende?' Wait, no, that's not Italian either. Damn it. 'Translate-or'." Isabella: "[Gesturing wildly to her own chest, tears welling up in her eyes] Sono qui solo per studiare... volevo solo fotografare la natura! Ora ho questa immagine terribile nella testa. Devi prenderli!" Hunter: "[Softening his gruff tone slightly, holding his palms down to pacify her] Hey, easy. Settle down. We'll figure this out. Just give me one second to call dispatch, get someone down here who knows Italian—" [Hunter’s cell phone suddenly blares with a shrill ringtone. He answers it, his posture immediately rigid and all-business.] Hunter: "Hunter. ... What do you mean another one's gone? From where? ... Right out of the main apple cider pavilion? Dammit! Secure the perimeter. Lock down the whole festival, no one goes in or out! I’m heading there right now." [Hunter hangs up the phone and looks back at Isabella with extreme urgency.] Hunter: "[Pointing firmly at Isabella, then pointing down at her table] Don't move. Stay. Right. Here. I have an emergency. I will send Deputy Rossi here, he knows some Italian. You wait for Rossi! 'Stay!'" Isabella: "[Standing up, panicked as he immediately starts backing away] No, aspetti! Dove va? Il mostro potrebbe essere ancora lì fuori! La foto... prenda la mia macchina fotografica!" Hunter: "I gotta go! Lock yourself inside the cafe if you have to! Rossi is coming!" [Hunter turns and breaks into a dead sprint down the street toward the festival grounds.] Isabella: "[Watching him disappear, dropping back into her chair and hugging the camera tightly against her chest] Dio mio... aiutaci tu." **[SCENE END]**