Run: 2026-02-20-01KHYAWQPZ9JBTJ62A36DGTSY9

**Scene: *The Morning After the Storm*** --- **Melanie** *(sits at the wooden table in *Café Alborn*, her camera resting on the table between them, the lens cap off. She doesn’t look up as she speaks, her fingers tracing the grain of the wood.)* *"Ich habe etwas gesehen…"* *(I saw something…)* **Hunter** *(steps up beside her, his boots scuffing against the linoleum. He squints at her, his expression unreadable.)* *"What?"* **Melanie** *(finally meets his gaze, her voice tight, her German sharp with unease.)* *"Vor der Kirche. Gestern Abend. Die Leute… sie waren nicht allein."* *(She doesn’t wait for him to ask. Her hands tremble slightly as she speaks.)* *"Es gab… eine Frau. Sie trug einen schwarzen Mantel. Und dann—"* *(She pauses, her breath shallow.)* *"—dann war da ein Mann. Aber er war nicht wie die anderen. Seine Augen… sie glühten."* *(She swallows hard, her camera slipping from her fingers. It clatters to the table, the lens cap falling off with a sharp *click*.)* **Hunter** *(lowers his voice, though the café is nearly empty now. He reaches for her wrist, his grip firm but not unkind.)* *"You’re sure it wasn’t just a drunk guy with bad eyes?"* **Melanie** *(pulls away, her voice breaking.)* *"Nein. Ich bin sicher."* *(A beat. The hum of the café’s coffee machine fades into the background.)* **Hunter** *(studies her—her wide, haunted eyes, the way her fingers still twitch toward her camera—then pulls out his phone.)* *"Alright. I gotta run. But I’ll be back. And you’re coming with me."* *(He doesn’t wait for her answer. Turns to leave, then pauses at the door.)* *"And Melanie?"* **Melanie** *(nods, her voice barely above a whisper.)* *"Ich habe Fotos."* *(He doesn’t ask what. He just nods, turns, and steps out into the crisp Minnesota morning.)* --- **End Scene.**