Run: 2026-02-24-01KJ8WRWCK4DA1BZNWQRWQ2TZY

# Scene: The Café on Main Street, Alborn, MN --- *Maria sits alone at a corner table in Dotty's Café, scrolling through photos on her camera's display screen. A half-finished cup of coffee sits cooling beside her. The bell above the door chimes as Hunter walks in, scanning the room with practiced eyes. He spots Maria — a face he doesn't recognize in a town where he knows almost everyone by now — and approaches her table.* --- Hunter: "Afternoon, ma'am. Mind if I sit down for a moment? I'm Detective Hunter Bryce. I'm investigating some incidents here in town." Maria: *looks up from her camera, startled* "¿Perdona? No… no entiendo. ¿Hablas español?" Hunter: *pauses, pulls out his badge and shows it to her* "Detective. Police. I just have a few questions, if that's alright. Were you in town last Tuesday evening? Near the fairgrounds?" Maria: *recognizes the badge, shifts uncomfortably in her seat* "¿Policía? Sí, sí, entiendo — policía. Yo… yo estuve allí. En el festival. Estaba tomando fotos del paisaje, de los manzanos, y…" *trails off, gripping the camera tightly against her chest* Hunter: "Okay. I can see you were at the festival — were you there Tuesday? Tuesday night?" Maria: *nods slowly, her eyes wide* "Martes… sí. Martes. Yo vi algo. Vi algo horrible." *her voice drops to a near-whisper* "Había un hombre… arrastrando algo hacia el bosque. Era de noche y estaba oscuro, pero yo lo vi. Lo vi con mis propios ojos." Hunter: *leans forward, studying her expression* "Ma'am, I'm sorry — I'm not catching any of that. Do you speak English? English?" Maria: *shakes her head, frustrated* "No, no hablo inglés. Lo siento mucho. Pero necesito que me entiendas — lo que vi aquella noche… fue algo muy malo. Tengo mucho miedo desde entonces. No he podido dormir." Hunter: *exhales slowly, rubbing the back of his neck* "Alright. We've got ourselves a language situation here. Okay — let's try this." *mimes taking a photograph, then points at her camera* "Photos? Pictures? Can I see?" Maria: *understands the gesture, hesitates, then turns the camera around, cycling through the images with trembling hands* "Mira. Aquí… aquí es donde estaba. Los manzanos. Y aquí…" *stops on a dark, blurry image — the vague silhouette of a figure near the tree line* "Aquí. ¿Lo ves? Este hombre. Este hombre estaba ahí." Hunter: *squints at the photo, pulls the camera closer* "Well now. That — that's something. That's the north edge of the orchard, isn't it? Who is that?" Maria: "No sé quién es. No pude ver su cara. Pero era grande, fuerte. Y llevaba algo… como un saco. Algo pesado." *she wraps her arms around herself, visibly shaken* "Desde esa noche, siento que alguien me sigue. Alguien me observa." Hunter: *holds up a hand gently* "Hey — take it easy. I can see you're upset. I wish I could understand what you're telling me, because I think it might be important." *taps the camera* "Can I take this photo? Copy? Uh—" *mimes writing something down* Maria: "¿Quieres la foto? Sí, sí, llévatela. Haré lo que sea. No quiero tenerla. Cada vez que la veo…" *shudders* "Tengo miedo de que ese hombre sepa que le vi." Hunter: *nods slowly, jotting something in his notebook* "I'm going to find someone who can translate for us. I need to hear your whole story. Can you stay in town? Alborn?" *gestures around broadly* "Stay? Here?" Maria: *seems to grasp the meaning* "¿Quedarme? Sí… sí, me quedo aquí. Estoy en la residencia de la universidad, cerca del lago. Pero por favor, por favor, tenga cuidado. Lo que hay en ese bosque…" *she looks toward the window, toward the distant tree line* "…no es normal." Hunter: "I hear you. Well — I don't *hear* you, exactly, but I—" *His phone buzzes sharply. He glances down at the screen, and his expression hardens.* Hunter: *standing abruptly* "I have to take this. Don't go anywhere, alright? I'll be back — *back* —" *points at the table, then at her, then at himself* "— with someone who speaks your language." *answers the phone, already heading toward the door* "Bryce here. Talk to me." Maria: *watches him leave, clutching her camera to her chest, whispering to herself* "Por favor, que me crea. Por favor, que alguien me crea." *She turns the camera over in her hands, glances once more at the dark silhouette frozen on the screen, and quietly deletes nothing. The evidence stays. She stares out the café window at the October sky hanging low and grey over the orchards of Alborn, and waits.* --- **END SCENE**