Run: 2026-02-20-01KHYAB7X17ERNG8WHCJBX9YP2

**Scene: *The Café on Maple Street*** --- **Melanie** *(sits at the small wooden table, camera resting on the tabletop, her fingers tracing the lens cap. She doesn’t look up as she speaks, her voice low and urgent in German.)* *"Ich habe etwas gesehen. Gestern Abend…"* **Hunter** *(approaches the table, his boots scuffing against the worn linoleum. He stops just short of the chair, arms crossed, expression unreadable. His English is sharp but strained, as if he’s forcing words through a fog.)* *"What did you see?"* **Melanie** *(finally meets his gaze, her eyes wide, her hands trembling slightly. She speaks faster now, her voice barely above a whisper.)* *"Die Frau. Sie war… nicht allein. Und sie trug keine Kleidung. Nur ein… ein…"* *(She pauses, searching for the right word. Her camera slips from her lap, clattering to the floor. She doesn’t pick it up.)* *"…ein… ein…"* **Hunter** *(steps closer, his voice dropping to a growl.)* *"What’s wrong with you?"* **Melanie** *(snaps, her voice sharp with frustration.)* *"Ich verstehe nicht! Sie hat mich gefragt. Sie hat gesagt, sie braucht Hilfe. Aber ich… ich kann nicht helfen, wenn ich nicht verstehe!"* *(She slams her hands on the table, the camera clattering to a stop. Her breath comes fast, her face flushed.)* **Hunter** *(takes a step back, his jaw tight.)* *"You’re scaring me."* *(A beat. The café hums around them—someone orders coffee, a radio plays softly. Melanie exhales, her shoulders slumping. She reaches for her camera, fingers brushing the lens before she drops it again.)* *"Ich bin nur… aufgeregt. Es war… nicht gut."* **Hunter** *(lowers his voice, though the words are still sharp.)* *"You’re telling me you saw something that wasn’t right, and you’re not even sure what it was. That’s not how this works."* **Melanie** *(her voice cracks.)* *"Ich weiß nicht. Aber ich *habe* es gesehen."* *(A long silence. The radio cuts to static. Hunter rubs his temple, then turns to leave.)* **Hunter:** *"I gotta go. Call me if you think of anything else."* *(He doesn’t wait for an answer. Steps back, then is gone—door slams behind him.)* **Melanie** *(stares after him, then looks down at her camera. Her fingers hover over the lens, as if she’s waiting for something to click into place.)* *"…Ich habe es nicht verstanden."* *(The café feels suddenly too quiet.)*