Run: 2026-02-20-01KHYBANY443JV98826KW7E1PD

**Scene: *The Alborn Café – Late Afternoon*** *The bell above the door jingles as Detective Hunter steps inside, his sharp eyes scanning the dimly lit café. The scent of cinnamon and coffee lingers in the air. He spots Marie sitting alone in a corner booth, her fingers tracing the edge of her camera case, her expression distant. She hasn’t noticed him yet.* --- ### **VOICE SHEET – DIALOGUE** **Hunter** *(approaching, voice low and deliberate)* "Excuse me, miss. I’m Detective Hunter. I was wondering if I could ask you a few questions about what happened last night at the apple festival." *(Marie startles slightly, her fingers tightening around her camera. She looks up, her dark eyes wide with unease. She doesn’t speak English, and her face falls as she realizes he doesn’t understand her.)* **Marie** *(in rapid, trembling French)* "...Je ne comprends pas. Je ne parle pas anglais. Je suis désolée..." *(Hunter blinks, then frowns, trying to piece together her words. He pulls out his phone, tapping open a translation app.)* **Hunter** *(slowly, enunciating each word)* "Do… you… speak… French?" *(Marie nods, relief flickering across her face, but her voice is still shaky.)* **Marie** *(French, urgent)* "Oui. Oui, je parle français. Mais je ne sais pas ce qui s’est passé ici. J’étais juste… je prenais des photos. Et puis…" *(she hesitates, her hands trembling)* "...les lumières se sont éteintes. Et quand elles sont revenues, il y avait des cris. Des gens couraient. Et puis…" *(her voice cracks)* "...une femme a disparu. Juste comme ça." *(Hunter’s expression darkens. He leans in slightly, his marine-trained instincts kicking in.)* **Hunter** *(through the translation app, voice firm)* "You saw someone disappear? Can you describe them?" *(Marie shakes her head, her camera still clutched in her lap.)* **Marie** *(French, distressed)* "Non, je n’ai rien vu clairement. Juste une silhouette. Mais…" *(she swallows hard)* "...il y avait quelque chose dans sa voix. Comme si elle avait peur. Très peur." *(Hunter makes a note on his pad, then looks up sharply as his phone rings. He glances at the screen, his jaw tightening.)* **Hunter** *(to Marie, nodding toward her camera)* "Can you show me the photos you took last night? Maybe they’ll help." *(Marie hesitates, then slowly unzips her bag, pulling out her camera. She hands it to him, her movements stiff.)* **Marie** *(French, quiet)* "Je ne sais pas si ça aidera. Mais prenez-les. Peut-être que…" *(Hunter takes the camera, giving her a brief, acknowledging nod before stepping away to answer his call. His voice drops to a murmur as he walks toward the door.)* **Hunter** *(into the phone, distracted)* "Yeah, I’m still at the café. I’ll be right there." *(He pauses, listening, then glances back at Marie one last time before stepping outside, the door swinging shut behind him.)* *(Marie exhales shakily, her fingers brushing her camera case again. The weight of what she’s seen—and what she didn’t—settles over her like a shadow.)* --- **END SCENE** *(Note: The tension lingers—Hunter’s investigation deepens, and Marie’s unsettling encounter hints at something far more sinister in Alborn.)*