Run: 2026-02-24-01KJ8V80CADVSTQ4V97HD85J82

# Scene: The Broken Conversation ### Location: Hilltop Café, Main Street, Alborn, MN --- Hunter: "Afternoon, miss. Mind if I sit down for a moment?" Maria: *glances up from her camera, startled* "¿Perdona? ¿Me hablas a mí?" Hunter: "I'm Detective Hunter Brandt, with the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office. I'm talking to folks around town today. Were you anywhere near the fairgrounds last Tuesday evening?" Maria: *sets her camera down slowly, her face paling* "No... no entiendo lo que dices. Yo... yo estuve allí, en el campo de la feria. Vi algo... algo horrible. Había una persona, una mujer, caminando sola por el sendero y después... después desapareció. Así, sin más. Como si la tierra se la hubiera tragado." Hunter: *leans back, brow furrowed* "I'm sorry, I — I don't speak... Was that Spanish? Do you speak any English?" Maria: *shakes her head anxiously* "¿Inglés? No, no. Lo siento mucho. No hablo inglés." *taps the table nervously, then picks up her camera and scrolls through photos, turning the screen toward him* "Mira, mira esto. Estaba sacando fotos del paisaje esa noche. Mira esta foto." Hunter: *squints at the camera screen* "Okay... okay. You're showing me something. Is that — that's the fairground trail, isn't it? Last Tuesday? Tuesday?" *holds up fingers, miming days on a calendar* Maria: *nods vigorously* "¡Sí, sí! Martes. Martes por la noche. Mira aquí, en la esquina de la foto. ¿Ves esa sombra? Había alguien más allí. Alguien observando a esa mujer." Hunter: "There's a shadow there, in the corner. Is that a person? You saw someone?" Maria: *clutches the edge of the table, voice dropping* "Tengo mucho miedo. Desde esa noche no puedo dormir. Creo que esa persona... creo que me vio a mí también. Ayer encontré pisadas detrás de la casa donde me estoy quedando. Pisadas grandes, de un hombre." Hunter: *shakes his head slowly* "Ma'am, I wish I could understand you. You seem really upset. Are you in some kind of trouble? Trouble?" *gestures with his hands, a worried expression* Maria: *eyes welling with tears* "¿Problema? Sí. Sí, problema. Grande." *spreads her hands wide* "Problema muy grande." Hunter: "Big problem. Okay. I'm getting that much." *pulls out a small notepad* "Can you write anything down? Write?" *mimes writing* Maria: *takes the notepad and pen, writes in shaky handwriting:* **"Martes. Mujer. Desapareció. Sombra. Alguien me sigue."** *slides the notepad back* Hunter: *stares at the notepad* "Martes... mujer... I don't know what any of this—" *pulls out his phone and attempts to type the words in* "I'm going to need to get a translator. Can you stay in town? Stay? Here?" *points at the ground* Maria: *nods slowly* "¿Aquí? Sí, me quedo aquí en Alborn. Pero por favor... ten cuidado. Lo que sea que está pasando en este pueblo... no es normal. Puedo sentirlo." Hunter: "I think you know something important. I just need to find someone who can help us talk to each—" *Hunter's phone buzzes loudly. He glances at the screen, jaw tightening.* Hunter: "Brandt here." *listens for a long moment, his expression darkening* "Where? ...How long ago? I'm on my way." Maria: *watching him with wide eyes* "¿Qué pasa? ¿Qué ha ocurrido?" Hunter: *stands abruptly, pocketing the notepad* "I have to go. Something's come up. But I need those photos." *points at her camera* "Photos. I'll come back. Come back." *mimes walking away and then returning, holding up one finger* "One hour. Okay? Una... hora?" *winces at his own attempt* Maria: *a small, sad smile despite herself* "¿Una hora? Sí. Te espero aquí. Pero, detective..." *grabs his sleeve gently* "...ten mucho cuidado." Hunter: *looks at her hand on his sleeve, then at her frightened eyes* "I don't know what you just said, but I don't think it was goodbye." *He turns and pushes through the café door into the gray Minnesota afternoon.* Maria: *whispers to herself, turning back to her camera and the shadow in the photograph* "Dios mío... que alguien me ayude a explicar lo que vi." --- *End of scene.*