Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY882HF2NXAVXZCMCF13914

## Voice Sheet: Scene - Alborn Cafe **Setting:** A small, brightly lit cafe in Alborn, Minnesota. Mid-morning. The scent of coffee and apple pastries hangs in the air. **Characters:** Maria (30, Spanish student, very distressed) & Hunter (35, Detective, gruff, impatient) --- **1. Initial Approach** **Hunter:** (Approaching Maria’s table, badge briefly flicked, tone direct) "You been in town long? I’m Detective Hunter. Just trying to get a feel for things after... the Andersons. You were near their farm yesterday, right? Saw a woman with a camera." **Maria:** (Looks up, startled, clutching her camera tighter. Shaken, rapid Spanish) “¡Sí, sí! Estaba tomando fotos…pero… ¡Dios mío, lo que vi! ¡Fue horrible! ¿Desaparecieron? ¿La pareja? ¿Qué está pasando aquí?" (Yes, yes! I was taking pictures...but... Oh my God, what I saw! It was horrible! Have they disappeared? The couple? What is happening here?) **Hunter:** (Frowning, completely lost) "Whoa, slow down. I... I don't speak…whatever that is. English? Do you understand English?" **Maria:** (Panicked, repeating, gesturing wildly with her hands) “¡No entiendo! ¡No hablo inglés todavía! ¿La pareja? ¿Vieron algo? ¿Ayuda, por favor?" (I don't understand! I don't speak English yet! The couple? Did you see something? Help, please!) --- **2. Frustrated Attempts at Communication** **Hunter:** (Sighs, running a hand through his hair. Attempts to simplify) "Couple. Gone. You… see?" (Points at an imaginary person disappearing) **Maria:** (Gestures towards the direction of the Anderson farm, eyes wide with fear) “Allí… en el campo… Había… algo. Un hombre… o una sombra… ¡y la camioneta! ¡La camioneta se fue rápido!” (There… in the field… There was… something. A man… or a shadow… and the truck! The truck left quickly!) **Hunter:** (Writing in a small notebook, feeling increasingly frustrated) "Truck. Okay. Shadowy figure. This isn't getting me anywhere. Look, can you point to someone who *can* translate? A shopkeeper, anyone?" **Maria:** (Shakes her head, near tears) “No sé… Soy nueva aquí. Estoy estudiando… en la universidad. No conozco a nadie.” (I don't know… I'm new here. I'm studying… at the university. I don't know anyone.) **Hunter:** (Muttering under his breath) “Great. Just great.” (To Maria, deliberately slow and loud) "University. Someone… at the University… speaks… English?" **Maria:** (Slowly, hesitantly, nodding) “Quizás… el profesor… el profesor Olsen… pero…no estoy segura… está lejos.” (Maybe… the professor… Professor Olsen… but… I'm not sure… he's far away.) --- **3. Interruption & Departure** **(Hunter’s phone rings. He glances at the caller ID, his expression hardening.)** **Hunter:** (Into phone, curtly) "Hunter. What? ... Another one? Seriously?" (Covers the mouthpiece) "Look, I gotta go. This is…bad." **Hunter:** (To Maria, apologetically) “This is going to have to wait. We’ll figure something out. Try to stay safe, okay?” (He doesn’t expect a response, and isn’t surprised when he doesn’t get one.) **Maria:** (Staring after him, whispering to herself, visibly trembling) “¡Ay Dios mío! ¡Qué miedo! ¿Qué está pasando en este pueblo?" (Oh my God! How scary! What is happening in this town?) --- **(Hunter exits the cafe, phone still to his ear, leaving Maria alone and deeply disturbed.)**