Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY8ATAFG7282E1PJ8JVFDE6

Okay, here’s a voice sheet capturing the scene with Maria and Hunter, aiming for the cozy mystery feel – a little awkward, a lot of unspoken tension, and a hint of the unsettling mystery bubbling beneath the surface. **SCENE: The Maple Leaf Cafe – Alborn, MN** **SOUND:** Gentle clinking of mugs, the low hum of conversation, rain pattering lightly against the windows. **VISUAL:** The Maple Leaf Cafe is quaint, all mismatched floral wallpaper and worn wooden tables. Maria sits alone at a corner table, meticulously examining a photo on her digital camera screen – a shot of the woods surrounding Alborn. Hunter, dressed in a slightly rumpled, practical coat, stands awkwardly nearby. --- **VOICE SHEET** **1. Hunter:** (Gruff, direct) “Excuse me. You seem… preoccupied. I’m Detective Hunter Davies. I’m looking into the disappearances.” **2. Maria:** (Startled, her Spanish quick and slightly panicked) "¡Ay, Dios mío! ¡Es terrible! La abuela...la viesta…la noche...se fue. El viento...y el bosque...está transformado. No sé qué pasó." (Translation: “Oh my God! It's terrible! Grandmother...she saw...the vision...the night...she disappeared. The wind...and the forest...it’s changed. I don’t know what happened.”) Her voice is shaky, heavily accented. **3. Hunter:** (Frowning, completely lost) “I… I don't understand. You said...grandmother? Vision? Forest changed?” He shifts his weight, clearly baffled. He pulls out a small notepad and pen, attempting to jot something down, but then just sighs. “Can you…repeat that in English, please?” **4. Maria:** (Her face falls, her English halting and hesitant) "En…English? No...prefiero...español. Es difícil...to explain. La abuela...she told me…a dream. The trees…they moved. Like… watching. And then... she just vanished. Like… the air itself took her.” (She gestures vaguely towards the window, towards the rain-streaked woods.) **5. Hunter:** (Reads his note with a confused expression) “Trees moving? Like watching? Look, I appreciate you trying to help, but I need something concrete. Something about what she did, who she was with…” He taps the pen against his notepad. "Did she have any enemies? Any arguments?" **6. Maria:** (Shakes her head, tears welling up) “No enemigos. Only…a love for the woods. She knew every path. She said… she said the forest remembers everyone.” She clutches her camera tighter. **7. Hunter:** (Slightly frustrated, but trying to remain professional) “The forest remembers? Look, this is just… a lot to take in. You mentioned a night. Which night are you referring to? The night before she disappeared?" **8. Maria:** (Voice rising slightly, more agitated) "La noche del festival! The apple festival! I saw her. She stood by the old oak… and she… she looked… frightened. Like she saw something in the shadows." She points emphatically, then trails off, overwhelmed with emotion. **9. Hunter:** (Looking around the cafe, realizing the limited usefulness of this conversation) “Okay, okay. The festival. Right. Thank you for… sharing.” He glances at his watch, a flicker of urgency in his eyes. "I'm going to have to go. I just got a call about another potential lead.” **10. Maria:** (Whispering, a sudden fear in her voice) “Espera... Wait. There’s something else. The crows... they were silent. Completely silent. Even the rain… it stopped.” **11. Hunter:** (Without looking at her, already moving towards the door) “Thank you. That's… helpful." He pauses at the doorway. “Detective Davies.” He exits the cafe, leaving Maria alone with her camera and her unsettling memories. **SOUND:** The cafe's ambient noise fades slightly as Hunter leaves; a single, mournful note from a distant foghorn. --- **NOTES FOR PERFORMANCE:** * **Maria:** Capture her vulnerability and the genuine fear she feels. Her English should be stilted and hesitant, reflecting her immersion in a new language and a terrifying situation. Don't over-explain – let the emotion drive the dialogue. * **Hunter:** Maintain his gruff exterior, but show a glimmer of curiosity beneath the surface. He's a seasoned detective, but this case is clearly unsettling him. Would you like me to refine any part of this, or perhaps add a specific detail or interaction?