Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY95TXJV2MHRSHP3EA1DS4S

Here’s the scene with dialogue formatted as a **voice sheet** (character lines separated clearly, with Maria’s Spanish included in italics for context). I’ve also added subtle nonverbal cues to enhance the cozy mystery atmosphere. --- ### **Scene: Café in Alborn, MN** *Setting: A quiet, sunlit café in downtown Alborn. Maria sits at a corner table, her camera resting on the table as she scrolls through photos. Hunter enters, scanning the room before spotting her. He approaches, his expression unreadable—part curiosity, part professional detachment.* --- #### **VOICE SHEET** **HUNTER** *(approaching, voice low but firm)* "Excuse me, miss. I’m Detective Hunter. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions?" *Maria startles slightly, her fingers tightening around her camera. She glances up, eyes wide with a mix of fear and confusion. She doesn’t speak English.* **MARIA** *(in rapid, accented Spanish, voice trembling)* *—¿Qué? ¿Qué pasa? No entiendo…—* *(What? What’s happening? I don’t understand…)* **HUNTER** *(frowning, realizing the language barrier)* "Uh… *¿Hablas inglés?*" *(Do you speak English?)* *[He winces slightly at his own broken attempt.]* **MARIA** *(shaking her head, voice breaking)* *—No, no hablo inglés. Soy española. ¿Por qué me pregunta?—* *(No, I don’t speak English. I’m Spanish. Why are you asking me?)* **HUNTER** *(softening his tone, pulling out a chair)* "Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m investigating some disappearances here in Alborn. You’re the first person I’ve seen who… well, who doesn’t look like you belong here." *Maria’s hands shake as she clutches her camera. She glances around nervously, then back at Hunter, her dark eyes searching his face.* **MARIA** *(whispering, in Spanish)* *—Hay algo malo aquí. Vi… vi algo anoche.—* *(There’s something bad here. I saw… I saw something last night.)* **HUNTER** *(leaning in slightly, intrigued despite himself)* "Last night? What did you see?" *Maria hesitates, her breath hitching. She looks down at her camera, then back up, her expression haunted.* **MARIA** *(in Spanish, voice barely above a whisper)* *—Un hombre. En el bosque. No estaba solo. Había… luces. Como fantasmas.—* *(A man. In the woods. He wasn’t alone. There were… lights. Like ghosts.)* **HUNTER** *(frowning, trying to piece together her words)* "Lights? You mean like lanterns? Or…?" **MARIA** *(shaking her head, frustrated)* *—No, no como linternas. Brillaban. Como… como el fuego, pero sin calor.—* *(No, not like lanterns. They glowed. Like… like fire, but without heat.)* *Hunter rubs his temple, processing. He’s used to clear answers, not cryptic descriptions.* **HUNTER** "Okay. And this man—did you see his face?" **MARIA** *(nodding, then shaking her head)* *—Sí, pero no. Era oscuro. Solo… una sombra con ojos brillantes.—* *(Yes, but no. It was dark. Just… a shadow with glowing eyes.)* *Hunter exhales sharply, then pulls out his notepad. He scribbles something down, glancing up at her.* **HUNTER** "You said you’re a student here. What’s your name?" **MARIA** *(relieved to answer something simple)* *—Maria. Maria López.—* **HUNTER** *(writing it down)* "Maria. And you were taking photos last night?" *Maria nods, then reaches for her camera, flipping through the images. She hands it to Hunter without a word. He takes it, brows furrowing as he sees the timestamp—last night—and a few blurry but eerie shots of the woods.* **HUNTER** *(flipping through, voice low)* "These are the woods outside of town. You were near the old mill, right?" **MARIA** *(nodding rapidly)* *—Sí. Sí, allí.—* *(Yes. Yes, there.)* *Hunter’s phone buzzes. He glances at it, his expression tightening.* **HUNTER** *(muttering)* "Damn it. I’ve gotta take this." *He stands abruptly, tucking the camera into his jacket.* **HUNTER** *(to Maria, more gently)* "I’ll be back. Don’t leave town, okay? And… try not to go into the woods alone." *Maria watches him go, her hands still trembling. She hears him say into the phone:* **HUNTER** *(into phone, walking away)* "—Yeah, I’ve got a lead. A witness. Spanish student, says she saw something off the old mill road. Yeah, I’ll meet you there in ten.—" *He hangs up, then pauses, glancing back at Maria one last time before disappearing out the café door.* *Maria is left alone, staring at her untouched coffee, her mind racing with the weight of what she’s seen.* --- **End Scene.** --- ### **Notes for Tone & Atmosphere:** - **Maria’s Spanish** is rapid and emotional, with fragmented sentences as she struggles to convey the horror she witnessed. Her descriptions of "glowing eyes" and "lights like ghosts" hint at something supernatural or deeply unsettling. - **Hunter’s frustration** is palpable—he’s used to clear, logical answers, and Maria’s cryptic, non-English testimony throws him off balance. His military background makes him blunt, but he softens slightly when he realizes she’s scared. - **The café setting** is cozy but tense—sunlight streaming in contrasts with the unease in the air. The old mill road is a classic cozy mystery trope (isolated, eerie, tied to local legends). - **The interrupted call** leaves Maria (and the reader) wondering: *What’s so urgent that Hunter has to leave her behind?* Is it another disappearance? A clue? A threat? Would you like any adjustments to the tone or details? For example, we could add more sensory details (the smell of apple cider from the festival, the hum of the café’s old heater) to deepen the setting.