Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY7ZAP6WT4NNESC8YJ01VYN

**Voice Sheet: Scene – Café in Alborn, MN** *(The café is quiet, with the hum of conversation and the clink of cups. Melanie sits at a small wooden table, her camera open beside her, her fingers tracing the lens thoughtfully. She looks up as Hunter enters, his broad frame filling the doorway. He scans the room, then spots her. He approaches with a no-nonsense stride, his expression unreadable.)* --- ### **Hunter:** *(in English, direct and blunt)* "Melanie." *(She blinks, startled. Her eyes dart to his, then back to her camera. She doesn’t respond immediately, her expression wary.)* --- ### **Melanie:** *(in German, voice trembling slightly)* "Entschuldigen Sie? Ich spreche kein Englisch..." *(Hunter’s eyebrows knit together. He pauses, then realizes she doesn’t understand him. He exhales sharply, then switches to German—slow, deliberate, and still rough, as if the language itself frustrates him.)* ### **Hunter:** "Was ist los? Warum sitzt du hier und fotografierst nichts?" *(She flinches at his tone. Her hands tighten around her camera.)* ### **Melanie:** *(whispering, voice breaking)* "Es ist... es ist nicht sicher hier. Die Leute verschwinden. Gestern Nacht—" *(She cuts herself off, her breath hitching. Her eyes dart toward the street outside, as if expecting someone to appear.)* ### **Hunter:** *(frowning, leaning in slightly)* "Was meinst du? Wer verschwinden lässt?" *(She swallows hard, then speaks faster, her voice urgent.)* ### **Melanie:** "Die Bauern. Die alten Männer. Sie gehen nachts weg, und niemand hört mehr von ihnen. Gestern habe ich... ich habe einen gesehen. Er stand am Waldrand, aber als ich näher kam—" *(She shakes her head, her face pale.)* ### **Hunter:** *(cutting in, voice low)* "Und?" *(She hesitates, then whispers:)* ### **Melanie:** "Er war... nicht mehr da. Als ob er einfach verschwunden wäre." *(Hunter’s jaw tightens. He glances around the café, then lowers his voice further.)* ### **Hunter:** "Hast du die Polizei gerufen?" *(She shakes her head violently.)* ### **Melanie:** "Die Polizei? Sie lachen nur. Sie sagen, es sind nur Träume. Aber ich habe Fotos! Ich habe Beweise!" *(She reaches for her camera, then hesitates, as if afraid to show him.)* ### **Hunter:** *(grabbing her wrist gently but firmly)* "Zeig mir." *(She flinches but doesn’t pull away. She unlocks her camera, flipping through the photos—some of the town, some of the woods, and one blurry image of a figure standing at the edge of the forest. Her breath catches.)* ### **Melanie:** *(pointing at the screen, voice barely above a whisper)* "Das. Das ist er. Gestern Nacht." *(Hunter stares at the photo, then at her. His expression darkens.)* ### **Hunter:** *(in English, to a nearby waitress)* "Kaffee. Schwarz. Und eine Tasse für sie." *(The waitress nods, then returns with the coffee. Hunter waits until she’s gone before speaking again, switching back to German.)* ### **Hunter:** "Wo hast du diese Fotos gemacht?" *(She points toward the window, her voice small.)* ### **Melanie:** "Am Waldrand. Im Norden. Dort, wo die alten Bäume sind." *(Hunter exhales sharply, then pulls out his phone. He types something, then holds it up to her.)* ### **Hunter:** "Das ist meine Nummer. Ruf mich an, wenn du noch etwas siehst. Oder wenn du Angst hast." *(She stares at the phone, then nods slowly.)* ### **Melanie:** "Aber... warum? Warum glaubst du mir?" *(Hunter’s gaze is steady, his voice firm.)* ### **Hunter:** "Because someone’s lying. And I don’t like liars." *(She swallows hard, then looks down at her coffee. A long silence falls between them.)* ### **Hunter:** *(after a moment, softer)* "Du bist sicher hier?" *(She nods, but her eyes are still wide with fear.)* ### **Hunter:** *(standing up, tossing some cash on the table)* "Pass auf dich auf." *(He turns to leave, then pauses at the door.)* ### **Hunter:** *(calling back over his shoulder)* "Und Melanie?" *(She looks up, hopeful.)* ### **Hunter:** "Wenn du noch mehr Fotos machst... mach sie von den Leuten, die fehlen. Nicht nur die Bäume." *(He walks out, leaving her sitting alone with her coffee and her camera.)* *(The café door clicks shut behind him. Melanie exhales shakily, then picks up her camera again, her fingers trembling slightly as she prepares to capture more—if she dares.)* --- **End Scene.**