Run: 2026-02-20-01KHYB6KA0AJQWHTYDX1R3P0ZG

**Scene: *The Cozy Corner Café, Alborn, MN – Late Afternoon*** *The bell above the café door jingles as Detective Hunter steps inside, his sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit space. He spots Melanie sitting in a corner booth, her fingers tracing the edge of her camera case. She’s staring at a photo on the screen—her expression distant, troubled. He approaches, pulling out the chair across from her.* --- ### **VOICE SHEET: DIALOGUE** **Hunter** *(gruff, no-nonsense, but with a hint of curiosity)* "Excuse me, ma’am. You’re the one who took those photos of the old mill last night, right?" *(Melanie startles slightly, her grip tightening on the camera. She glances up, her dark eyes wide with unease. She speaks in rapid, accented German, her voice trembling.)* **Melanie** *(hesitant, struggling for words)* "...Es war nicht nur ein Foto. Es war... *schrecklich.* Ich habe Geräusche gehört. *Schreie.* Und dann—*nichts.* Nur... *leere* Bäume. Wie jemand einfach... *weg* war." *(Hunter blinks, frowning. He doesn’t understand a word. He leans in slightly, trying to piece together her reaction.)* **Hunter** *(firm, but softer now)* "Ma’am, I don’t speak German. But I *do* know you saw something last night at the mill. Something that scared you. I need you to tell me what you saw—*in English.* Can you try?" *(Melanie exhales shakily, her fingers trembling as she sets the camera down. She swallows hard, then nods slowly, searching for the right words.)* **Melanie** *(broken English, halting but determined)* "...I—*I take pictures.* The trees. The river. But last night... the light was wrong. Like... *wrong.* And then—I hear *screaming.* But when I look—*nothing.* Just... shadows. And the wind. Too loud." *(Hunter’s jaw tightens. He pulls out his notepad, flipping it open.)* **Hunter** *(low, measured)* "Did you see anyone? A person? A car?" *(Melanie shakes her head, her voice dropping to a whisper.)* **Melanie** "...Only the trees. And the *darkness* moving. Like... like something was *hiding.*" *(A beat of silence. Hunter studies her—her wide eyes, the way her hands clench and unclench. He believes her. Then his phone buzzes sharply in his pocket. He glances at the screen, his expression darkening.)* **Hunter** *(gruff, already standing)* "Stay here. Don’t leave. I’ll be back." *(He turns on his heel, already dialing as he strides toward the door. Melanie watches him go, her breath unsteady, the weight of what she saw pressing down on her like a physical force.)* --- **END SCENE** *(Note: The tension here is subtle but palpable—Melanie’s fear, Hunter’s urgency, and the unspoken dread of what’s happening in Alborn. The language barrier adds a layer of vulnerability, making her reliance on him (and his frustration with it) a quiet but meaningful dynamic.)*