Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY7SR2N8420WEJPANAPCT1S

Okay, here's the scene, formatted as a voice sheet as requested, incorporating the character and location details. I've aimed for a tone that fits the cozy mystery genre – observant, a slightly off-kilter atmosphere, and a growing sense of unease. I've also included some notes after the voice sheet to explain my choices and potential avenues for future plot developments. **Scene: The Corner Kettle Cafe, Alborn, MN – Mid-Afternoon** **(Selvi is seated at a small table near the window of The Corner Kettle Cafe. She's meticulously reviewing images on the LCD screen of her camera, a thoughtful, slight frown creasing her brow. The cafe is bustling with the low hum of conversation and the clatter of coffee cups. Outside, the muted colors of an early autumn afternoon saturate the scene. Hunter, in a slightly rumpled suit that suggests long hours, approaches her table, hesitantly.)** --- **Voice Sheet:** Selvi: (Clicks through a series of landscape photos, a distressed sigh escaping her lips. She jumps slightly as she notices Hunter.) "नमस्ते? क्या चाहिए?" ( *Namaste? Kya chaahie?* - "Hello? What do you need?") Hunter: (Pauses, offering a polite, but somewhat strained smile) "Uh, hello. Sorry to bother you. I’m Detective Hunter Reeves. I was wondering if you might have seen anything unusual… last night, near the apple orchard? You were taking pictures there?” (He gestures vaguely towards the window.) Selvi: (Looks down at her camera, then back at Hunter, apprehension evident in her eyes. Her voice trembles slightly as she speaks rapidly in Hindi.) "नहीं, नहीं! कुछ भी नहीं… ठीक था। शांत था। फिर… फिर उसने चिल्लाया। एक भयानक चिल्लाहट। फिर, सुना नहीं। अंधेरा था, लेकिन… लेकिन उसने देखा। उसकी आँखें… पहलू… आँखें… बहुत डरा हुआ।" ( *Nahin, nahin! Kuch bhi nahi… theek tha. Shaant tha. Fir… fir usne chillaaya. Ek bhayanak chillaahat. Fir, suna nahi. Andhera tha, lekin… lekin usne dekha. Uski aankhein… pahlu… aankhein… bahut dara hua.* - "No, no! Nothing... it was fine. Quiet. Then… then he screamed. A terrible scream. Then, nothing. It was dark, but… but she saw. His eyes… shadow… eyes… very frightened.") (She clutches her camera tighter, avoiding eye contact.) Hunter: (Furrows his brow, clearly lost.) “Um… I’m sorry? I don’t… I don’t understand. Are you… do you speak English?” (He tries a slow, deliberate pronunciation.) "Do… you… speak… English?" Selvi: (Shakes her head slowly, her eyes wide with worry. She repeats in Hindi, speaking even faster, her hands gesturing dramatically.) "मैंने कहा था! ничего नहीं देखा! लेकिन आवाज थी! वह बहुत भयानक था! मैंने कुछ भी नहीं किया! मैं सिर्फ तस्वीरें ले रही थी! पर अब डर लग रहा है!" (*Maine kaha tha! Kuch bhi nahi dekha! Lekin awaaz thi! Woh bahut bhayanak tha! Maine kuch bhi nahi kiya! Main sirf tasveere le rahi thi! Par ab dar lag raha hai!* – "I said nothing! I didn't see anything! But there was a noise! It was very horrible! I didn’t do anything! I was just taking pictures! But now I’m scared!") (She glances nervously around the cafe.) Hunter: (Looks increasingly perplexed. He leans forward, trying to grasp something tangible.) "Okay, okay. Let's just… slow down. A noise? What kind of noise? Did you see anyone running? Anything at all?" (He pulls out a small notepad and pen, but has no idea what to write.) Selvi: (Takes a shaky breath, shrinking into herself.) "मैं नहीं जानता। छाया। केवल छाया।" (*Main nahin jaanta. Chhaya. Keval chhaya.* - "I don’t know. Shadows. Only shadows.") (She looks down at her hands, her voice barely a whisper.) Hunter: (His phone rings. He glances at the screen and sighs impatiently.) "Excuse me a moment.” (He answers the phone, moving slightly away from Selvi.) "Reeves. Yeah, I'm at the Kettle. What? … Right, I'm on my way." (Hangs up, visibly frustrated.) "Look, I… I really need to go. There’s something else I have to check on. Maybe… maybe we can talk later? If you… if you feel comfortable.” (He hesitates, unsure how to proceed.) Selvi: (Nods silently, her eyes filled with a deep, unspoken fear) "ठीक है।" (*Theek hai.* - "Okay.") Hunter: (Offers another awkward smile and quickly turns to leave, glancing back at her once before exiting the cafe.) --- **Notes and Potential Plot Directions:** * **Communication Barrier:** The language barrier is a huge obstacle and a source of tension. Hunter’s inability to understand Selvi adds to the mystery. He obviously trusts that she’s just shaken up by something, but Selvi is clearly communicating something crucial. * **"She Saw... His Eyes":** This line is purposely vague and unsettling. What did she see in his eyes? Terror? Guilt? Something supernatural? This is a key clue. * **The Shadows:** Repeating the "shadows" imagery establishes a sense of foreboding. Shadows often symbolize something hidden or sinister. * **The Phone Call:** Hunter’s sudden departure creates immediate suspense. What is so important that he has to leave? It could be related to the disappearances, or a red herring. * **Selvi's Fear:** Her escalating fear suggests that she knows more than she’s letting on, or that she’s genuinely terrified of something. * **Future Development:** A translator (perhaps a quirky professor at her study abroad university) could be introduced to bridge the language gap and unlock Selvi's story. Perhaps a local who knows a little Hindi could help. The apple orchard itself could be significant – maybe it's not just the location of a scream, but also a hiding place or a gateway to something more. I hope this voice sheet and the accompanying notes give you a solid foundation for continuing the story! Let me know if you'd like me to develop any of these points further.