Run: 2026-02-20-01KHY9FJFX6QJ1MG1W9FJ0HCN9

## Voice Sheet: Scene - Alborn Cafe **Setting:** A small, brightly lit cafe in Alborn, MN. Mid-morning. The scent of coffee and apple pie hangs in the air. **Characters:** Selvi, Hunter --- **Selvi:** (Quietly, almost a murmur, visibly distressed. Her tone is urgent and laced with fear. *Hindi - Translation provided below for Hunter’s understanding*) "यह बहुत डरावना था। मैंने उसे देखा... वह नदी किनारे था। और फिर... गायब हो गया! कोई नहीं जानता क्या हुआ।" *(Yeh bahut darawna tha. Maine use dekha… woh nadi kinare tha. Aur phir… gayab ho gaya! Koi nahin jaanta kya hua.)* *(Translation: It was very frightening. I saw him… he was by the river. And then… he disappeared! No one knows what happened.)* **Hunter:** (Approaching her table, a notepad and pen in hand. His voice is gravelly, straightforward.) “Excuse me, miss. You wouldn’t happen to have been near Old Man Hemlock’s place yesterday afternoon, would you? Around three o’clock?” **Selvi:** (Startled, she looks up at him, eyes wide with panic. She repeats, louder this time, gesturing towards the river with a trembling hand. *Hindi*) "नदी! उसने नदी किनारे देखा! फिर वो चला गया!" *(Nadi! Usne nadi kinare dekha! Phir woh chala gaya!)* *(Translation: The river! I saw him by the river! Then he was gone!)* **Hunter:** (Frowning, tilting his head. He clearly doesn’t understand a word. He tries speaking slowly and deliberately.) “I… I don’t understand. Do you speak English?” **Selvi:** (Shakes her head vigorously, tears welling up. She points to her camera, then mimics taking a picture, then points again towards the river.) (No verbal response - frantic gestures) **Hunter:** (Sighs, running a hand through his hair. He pulls up a chair, trying a different approach. He gestures to the river on a local map he carries.) “River? You saw something… *at* the river? Was it Hemlock? Did you see Old Man Hemlock?” **Selvi:** (Nods vehemently, repeating her previous statement, but adding a descriptor. *Hindi*) "हाँ! वह बूढ़ा आदमी... सफेद दाढ़ी वाला। नदी किनारे, तस्वीरें ले रहा था... और फिर, बस... गायब हो गया!" *(Haan! Woh budha aadmi… safed daadi wala. Nadi kinare, tasveerein le raha tha… aur phir, bas… gayab ho gaya!)* *(Translation: Yes! That old man… with the white beard. By the river, taking pictures… and then, just… he disappeared!)* **Hunter:** (Rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “White beard… Hemlock *does* have a white beard. But ‘disappeared’? People aren't just *disappearing*.) He tries a simpler question. “Picture? You took a picture? Do you have the picture?” **Selvi:** (Her face brightens slightly. She fumbles with her camera, scrolling through images. She stops on one and shows it to him, pointing to a blurry figure near the riverbank.) (No verbal response – shows image) **Hunter:** (Leans closer, examining the grainy image. It's blurry, but he recognizes a figure vaguely resembling Hemlock. He squints.) "Hmm. It's… not great quality, but it could be him. Alright. This is… helpful, potentially. We've had three disappearances now. This is getting weird." **(Hunter’s phone rings. He glances at the caller ID and groans.)** **Hunter:** (Into the phone) “Yeah, Johnson… What? Another one? Seriously?… Okay, okay, I'm on my way. A tourist, you said?… Alright. Send me the details.” **(He hangs up, looking frustrated.)** **Hunter:** (To Selvi, with an apologetic tone) “Look, I’m really sorry, but I’ve gotta run. We've got another missing person. I need to get to the lake. Thank you for showing me this… this picture. I'm going to need to find someone who speaks your language, though, to get a more detailed account.” **Selvi:** (Looks crestfallen, clutching her camera. She tries to say something, perhaps urging him to hurry. *Hindi*) "जल्दी करो! कृपया! कुछ भी हो सकता है!" *(Jaldi karo! Kripya! Kuchh bhi ho sakta hai!)* *(Translation: Hurry! Please! Anything could happen!)* **Hunter:** (Doesn't understand, but sees the distress in her eyes. He gives a curt nod.) “I will. I promise.” **(Hunter quickly gathers his things and hurries out of the cafe, leaving Selvi alone with her fear and her camera.)** --- **Note:** The Hindi translations are provided for the benefit of understanding the scene and the dynamics of the communication breakdown. In the actual performance/writing, Selvi would *only* speak Hindi, and Hunter would react to her tone and gestures as indicated in the direction.