Run: 2026-02-19-01KHVP7SE4ZTEA4R6R5H0G3FJ9

Hunter: (Approaching the cafe table, flashing his badge) "Excuse me, miss. Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. Folks around our three-thousand-person town say you’re the exchange student who’s always out taking landscape photos. I need to ask you a few questions about the recent disappearances down by the apple festival grounds." Melanie: (Startled, blinking up from her camera's digital display) "Oh... Entschuldigung. Ich... ich spreche kein Englisch." Hunter: (Sighs, giving a no-nonsense frown) "Right. You don't speak English. Look, I don't know a lick of German either, but we have a crisis here. Were you at the orchards yesterday? Did you see anything?" Melanie: (Recognizes the police badge, her face going pale as her hands tremble) "Die Abzeichen... Polizei. Geht es um die vermissten Leute? Oh Gott. Ich war gestern Abend dort drüben bei den Apfelbäumen." Hunter: (Squinting, clearly confused) "Ma'am, I have absolutely no idea what you just said. Are you alright? You're shaking like a leaf." Melanie: (Voice rising in panic, clutching her heavy camera to her chest) "Es war schrecklich! Ich wollte nur ein paar friedliche Landschaftsaufnahmen im Nebel machen. Aber im Wald war etwas... jemand! Er hat etwas Schlimmes getan." Hunter: (Holding up his hands in a calm but forceful, military-honed gesture) "Whoa, slow down. Deep breaths. I'm a former Marine, miss, not a linguist. I can't understand a single word. Do you have a translation app on your phone?" Melanie: (Shaking her head fast, tears welling in her eyes as she frantically taps the back screen of her camera) "Verstehen Sie nicht? Ich spreche kein Wort Englisch! Aber hier! Bitte, Sie müssen sich das ansehen! Auf meinem Display!" Hunter: (Leaning over the cafe table, following her pointing finger) "You keep tapping your camera. Did you get something on film? Is this... is this the old cider mill?" Melanie: (Nods eagerly, relieved he's looking, her voice still trembling) "Ja! Ja, genau. Und sehen Sie diesen Schatten hier? Neben dem Apfelbaum? Er hat mich angesehen! Ich glaube, er ist mir gefolgt!" Hunter: (Frowning at the blurry shape on the small screen) "I can barely make that out. Looks like a shadow, maybe a person... Wait, is that a man's jacket?" (Hunter’s cell phone rings sharply. He pulls it from his coat pocket.) Hunter: "Hold that thought. Hunter here. ... What? When did it happen? ... South side of the festival grounds?" Melanie: (Watching his face harden, her anxiety spiking again) "Was ist los? Ist wieder jemand verschwunden? Kommt er hierher?" Hunter: (Pinching the bridge of his nose, his tone gruff and urgent) "Dammit. Alright, tape off the perimeter. I'm on my way." (He hangs up and looks at Melanie, pointing firmly at the cafe table) "Look, I have to go. Another incident. Stay put. Don't go back to the orchards. Wait here." Melanie: (Shrinking back into her chair, clutching the camera as if it's a shield) "Ich verstehe Sie nicht! Bitte... lassen Sie mich nicht allein, ich habe solche Angst!" Hunter: (Sighs, pointing at the ground emphatically before turning away) "Stay. Here. I'll send someone from the station who speaks German."