Run: 2026-02-20-01KHYACG8SMYDFKAR20KZBRQ25

Okay, here's a voice sheet for the scene, written with the cozy mystery tone and incorporating the character and location details. I've focused on building a little tension and highlighting the communication barrier. I’ve included some notes at the bottom after the voice sheet about my choices and reasoning. --- **Voice Sheet: The Apple Blossom Cafe** **Setting:** The Apple Blossom Cafe, Alborn, MN. Mid-afternoon. The scent of apple pie fills the air. Marie sits alone at a small table near the window, meticulously reviewing photos on her camera’s display screen. Hunter walks in, looking tired and observant. Marie: (Eyes glued to the camera, fingers deftly scrolling) *“Oh là là… la lumière était si belle ce matin. Presque irréel…”* (Oh, my… the light this morning. Almost unreal…) Hunter: (Approaching cautiously, his gaze sweeping the cafe) “Excuse me, miss? I don't mean to bother you, but I was wondering if you saw anything unusual in the town square yesterday evening?” Marie: (Looks up, startled, and quickly lowers the camera, clutching it to her chest. Her eyes are wide, filled with a palpable distress. She speaks quickly, urgently, in French) *"Non, non, je... je n'arrive pas à l'oublier. Tout le monde était là, mais… c'était différent. L'atmosphère... pesante. Et puis, la lumière... elle brillait étrangement, et Madame Dubois... elle n'était pas elle-même. Elle a juste... disparu devant mes yeux. Comme une ombre qui s'évanouit."* (No, no, I… I can't forget it. Everyone was there, but… it was different. The atmosphere… heavy. And then, the light… it shone strangely, and Madame Dubois… she wasn't herself. She just… disappeared before my eyes. Like a shadow that vanishes.) Hunter: (Frowning, tilting his head slightly) "I'm sorry, miss? I didn't quite catch that. Do you speak English?" Marie: (Shakes her head vehemently, tears welling in her eyes. She points to her camera, then gestures wildly towards the square.) *"Le marché! La place! Madame Dubois! Elle… partie! Tout le monde! Regardez..."* (The market! The square! Madame Dubois! She… gone! Everyone! Look…) Hunter: (Confused, he pulls out a small notepad and pen. He writes "Disappeared - Market") “Okay, okay… market. Someone disappeared at the market? Was it… an accident? Did you see anyone suspicious? A vehicle leaving in a hurry?” Marie: (Shakes her head, tears streaming down her face now. She whispers, still in French) *"Non, pas accident. Elle ne marchait pas. Elle... elle a juste disparu. Le sourire... elle avait un sourire effrayant sur son visage juste avant. Je n’en ai jamais vu un comme ça."* (No, not an accident. She wasn’t walking. She... she just disappeared. The smile… she had a frightening smile on her face just before. I’ve never seen one like it.) Hunter: (Looks at her, a flicker of concern crossing his face. He tries a simple, slow phrase) "Did you… see… trouble?" Marie: (Doesn’t seem to understand, but the repetition of “see” seems to click something. She nods slowly, her gaze fixed on some unseen point in the distance.) *“Oui… trouble… partout.”* (Yes… trouble… everywhere.) *(Hunter's phone rings - a jarring, electronic sound that seems to interrupt a fragile moment. He glances at the caller ID.)* Hunter: (Sighing) "Excuse me, miss. I have to take this." (He answers his phone, stepping slightly away) "Hunter here... Yes, I’m on my way…" (He speaks into the phone, a more clipped, professional tone returning) Marie: (Watches him walk away, her camera clutched tightly to her chest, looking lost and utterly alone.) --- **Notes on Choices & Reasoning:** * **Emphasis on Marie’s Distress:** I wanted to establish immediately that Marie is genuinely traumatized by what she saw. Her French conveys a more visceral sense of urgency and fear than simple English phrases would allow. * **Hunter's Helplessness:** Hunter’s frustration with the language barrier is key. It’s a cozy mystery element: the gruff, competent man out of his depth, unable to easily get the information he needs. This makes the mystery more intriguing. * **Specific Details (Madame Dubois, the Square):** Referring specifically to a local figure (Madame Dubois) and location further grounds the scene in Alborn, MN and builds a sense of place. The apple festival is a background element that could later become relevant. * **The “Frightening Smile”:** Adding the detail about the smile intends to inject a bit of unsettling atmosphere without making the scene overly dark. It hints that there's something more sinister than a simple disappearance. * **The Phone Call:** A sudden interruption is a classic device to end a scene on a slightly unresolved note, leaving the reader wanting more. It disrupts the potential for a deeper conversation and reinforces Hunter's limitations. * **Marie’s Final Gazes:** Ending on Marie’s isolated figure reinforces her vulnerability and further emphasizes her distress. Let me know if you'd like me to adjust anything or expand on a particular aspect!