Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY7GX9FP07WEGYB1PTJHNAX

## Voice Sheet: Scene - Alborn Cafe **Setting:** A small, cozy cafe in Alborn, Minnesota. Mid-morning. The aroma of coffee and apple pie hangs in the air. **Characters:** Marie (30, French student), Hunter (35, Detective) --- **1. HUNTER approaches Marie's table. She's meticulously cleaning her camera with a soft cloth, looking distressed.** **Hunter:** (Gruff, direct) "Excuse me. You were at the Apple Festival last night, right? I'm Detective Hunter. I'm looking into…well, someone went missing. Old Man Hemlock. Did you happen to see anything unusual?" **Marie:** (Looks up, startled. Her eyes are wide and filled with a burgeoning panic. She clutches her camera tighter.) "Oh mon Dieu… Non… enfin… J’étais là, bien sûr. Mais… c'était terrible! Tout le monde était… effrayé. Il y avait… une ombre…” (Oh my God… No… well… I was there, of course. But… it was terrible! Everyone was… scared. There was… a shadow…) **Hunter:** (Frowning, tilting his head) "A shadow? Ma'am, I don't… I didn't quite catch that. Speak a little slower?" **2. Marie attempts to explain, becoming more agitated.** **Marie:** (Faster, hands fluttering) "Une ombre… grande! Et froide! Elle a plané sur la foule… et après, Monsieur Hemlock… il n'était plus là! C’était… spectral! Étrange!” (A shadow… big! And cold! It loomed over the crowd… and after, Mr. Hemlock… he was just gone! It was… spectral! Strange!) **Hunter:** (Staring blankly, utterly lost) "Spectral? Look, I appreciate you trying to help, but I really need something I can understand. Do you… do you speak English?" **Marie:** (Shakes her head vehemently, tears welling up) "Non! Je suis désolée. Je parle seulement français. Je suis étudiante, étrangère… un programme d’échange." (No! I’m sorry. I only speak French. I am a student, a foreigner… an exchange program.) She points to herself, then to her camera, as if that explains everything. **3. Hunter tries a different tactic, gesturing towards the festival.** **Hunter:** (Pointing vaguely towards where the festival was held) "Festival? Last night? Hemlock? Gone?" He attempts charades, miming someone disappearing. **Marie:** (Understanding his attempt, but still distressed) "Oui! La fête! Il était là… avec sa pomme d’or! Et puis… plus rien! Il a disparu comme… comme par magie!" (Yes! The festival! He was there… with his golden apple! And then… nothing! He disappeared as if… as if by magic!) **Hunter:** (Rubbing his temples) "Okay. Magic. Right. This is getting me nowhere." He pulls out a small notepad and pen. "Look, can you… can you *draw* me what you saw? The shadow? Anything?" **Marie:** (Hesitantly takes the pen and paper. She begins sketching rapidly, her brow furrowed in concentration. It's a quick, frantic drawing – a blurred, dark form looming over a stick figure.) **4. Before Marie can finish, Hunter's phone rings. He glances at the caller ID and sighs.** **Hunter:** (Into phone, exasperated) "Hunter. Yeah, Captain. …What? Another one?… Mrs. Gable? …The bakery? …Alright, I’m on my way." He hangs up, looking frustrated. **Hunter:** (To Marie, apologetically) “Look, I’m really sorry for the interruption. And I appreciate you trying. I need to go. Someone else… something else just came up.” He gestures to her drawing. “I don’t understand what any of this means right now, but… thanks.” **Marie:** (Looks devastated, clutching her drawing. She begins to speak again, pleadingly) "Attendez! S'il vous plaît! Il faut comprendre! C’est important!” (Wait! Please! You have to understand! It’s important!) **Hunter:** (Already halfway to the door, over his shoulder) "I’ll try to get someone who speaks French to talk to you later. Sorry.” He exits the cafe, leaving Marie alone and deeply troubled. ---