Run: 2026-02-24-01KJ8WG89Z1DP6JCFJRTRPC0ZZ

# Voice Sheet — Café Scene --- Hunter: "Excuse me, miss? Sorry to bother you. I'm Detective Hunter. Do you have a minute?" Melanie: "Oh— entschuldigung, ich spreche kein Englisch." *(Oh— excuse me, I don't speak English.)* Hunter: "I, uh— right. Okay." *He points to his badge.* "Detective. Police?" Melanie: "Ah... Polizist. Ja, okay." *(Ah... police officer. Yes, okay.)* Hunter: "Last night, near the old mill on Route 7— did you see anything?" Melanie: "Die Mühle— ja. Ich war dort gestern Abend. Ich habe Fotos gemacht, und dann... dann habe ich einen Mann gesehen. Er ist einfach verschwunden. Einfach weg. Ich weiß nicht wie." *(The mill— yes. I was there yesterday evening. I was taking photos, and then... then I saw a man. He simply disappeared. Simply gone. I don't know how.)* Hunter: "I can see you're shaken up. Did you— did you witness something out there?" Melanie: *grips her camera tightly* "Ich habe die ganze Nacht nicht geschlafen. Es hat mir solche Angst gemacht. Wer verschwindet einfach so?" *(I haven't slept all night. It scared me so much. Who just disappears like that?)* Hunter: "Ma'am, I wish I understood you. I really do." *He sighs, rubbing the back of his neck.* Melanie: *holds the camera up desperately* "Warten Sie— ich habe es hier. Auf der Kamera. Sehen Sie? Sehen Sie den Mann am Waldrand?" *(Wait— I have it here. On the camera. Do you see? Do you see the man at the tree line?)* Hunter: *leans in, squinting at the screen* "Is that— is there someone standing there? Can I take a look?" *He gestures gently toward the camera.* Melanie: *nods, turning the screen toward him* "Ja, ja. Genau da. Und auf dem nächsten Foto ist er weg. Einfach weg." *(Yes, yes. Right there. And in the next photo he is gone. Simply gone.)* Hunter: "This could be significant. This could be very significant." *He pulls out a notepad.* "I need your name. Name?" *He taps the notepad.* Melanie: "Ah— Melanie. Melanie Bauer. Ich bin Studentin. Ich bin nicht von hier, ich mache ein Auslandsstudium." *(Melanie. Melanie Bauer. I'm a student. I'm not from here, I'm on a study abroad program.)* Hunter: "Melanie. Okay, Melanie. Good." *He writes it down.* "You need to stay in town. Stay." *He holds a firm hand out, palm down.* "Don't leave Alborn." Melanie: "Ich verstehe Ihre Worte nicht genau, aber... Sie nehmen mich ernst, oder? Bitte finden Sie heraus, was mit diesem Mann passiert ist." *(I don't understand your exact words, but... you're taking me seriously, aren't you? Please find out what happened to that man.)* Hunter: "I'll do my best, ma'am." *Hunter's phone rings sharply. He glances at the screen and his jaw tightens.* Hunter: "Damn. I have to take this." *He holds up one finger toward Melanie.* "One second— don't go anywhere." Melanie: "Warten Sie, ich habe noch mehr zu sagen—" *(Wait, I have more to say—)* Hunter: *already turning away, phone to his ear* "Hunter here. Yeah. I'm on my way." *He strides toward the door, glancing back at Melanie with a brief, firm nod.* Melanie: *watching him leave, clutching her camera to her chest* "...Ich hoffe wirklich, dass er weiß, was er tut." *(I really hope he knows what he's doing.)*