Run: 2026-02-24-01KJ8X4MEQG135D0W9V7Q46HFK

# Scene: The Cafe on Main Street *Melanie sits alone at a small corner table in Birch & Brew, Alborn's only cafe. Her camera rests in her hands, and she scrolls through photos on the display screen, her brow furrowed. A half-finished cup of coffee has gone cold beside her. Hunter pushes through the front door, the little bell above it chiming. He scans the room, spots the unfamiliar young woman, and approaches.* --- Hunter: "Afternoon, ma'am. I'm Detective Hunter Marsh, with the St. Louis County Sheriff's Office. Mind if I sit down?" Melanie: *(glancing up from her camera, startled)* "Oh — Entschuldigung, ich... ich spreche kein Englisch." Hunter: "...I'm sorry?" Melanie: *(gesturing apologetically)* "Ich spreche kein Englisch. Deutsch. Ich spreche nur Deutsch." Hunter: *(slowly sitting down across from her, pulling out his badge and holding it up)* "Detective. Police. I'm investigating some disappearances around town. Have you seen anything unusual lately? Anything... strange?" Melanie: *(recognizing the badge, her eyes widening — she grips the camera tighter against her chest)* "Polizei? Oh Gott. Ja — ja, ich habe etwas gesehen. Gestern Nacht. Am Waldrand, hinter dem Apfelhof. Da war... da war jemand. Eine Gestalt. Und dann war sie einfach weg." Hunter: *(leaning forward, brow creased)* "Ma'am, I — I don't understand. Do you speak any English at all?" Melanie: *(shaking her head, visibly frustrated, then turning her camera around and pointing urgently at the display screen)* "Hier! Schauen Sie! Ich habe Fotos gemacht. Sehen Sie — da, diese Gestalt zwischen den Bäumen!" Hunter: *(squinting at the camera screen, recognizing the old Lindquist orchard in the background of the photo — and a dark, blurred figure near the treeline)* "Wait — is that... That's out by the Lindquist place. When did you take this?" Melanie: *(reading his sudden interest, nodding vigorously)* "Ja! Ja, gestern! Gestern Abend, so gegen zehn Uhr. Ich war dort, um den Mond zu fotografieren, und dann — dann habe ich das gehört. Schritte. Und jemand hat geschrien. Es war... es war furchtbar." Hunter: "You're shaking. Are you okay? Are you — *(miming concern, gesturing toward her)* — alright?" Melanie: *(pressing a hand to her chest, exhaling shakily)* "Ich habe solche Angst. Ich bin hier ganz allein. Ich kenne niemanden. Und was ich da gesehen habe... diese Person — sie hat mich angesehen. Direkt angesehen. Und dann ist sie im Wald verschwunden." Hunter: *(pulling out a small notepad, then realizing the futility and putting it back)* "I wish to God I could understand you. You clearly saw something out there." Melanie: *(reaching into her bag and pulling out a pen — she scribbles on a napkin: a rough sketch of the orchard, the treeline, and a stick figure vanishing into the woods, with "22:00" written beside it and an arrow pointing to the figure)* "Hier. Sehen Sie? Dort war es. Um zehn Uhr abends." Hunter: *(studying the napkin drawing, tapping the "22:00")* "Ten o'clock. Last night? *(He holds up ten fingers, then points out the window toward the darkening sky and mimics the moon rising.)*" Melanie: *(nodding emphatically)* "Ja! Ja, genau! Zehn Uhr! Und — *(she swipes to the next photo on her camera: a wider shot of the orchard, this time empty, taken moments later)* — dann war die Person weg. Einfach verschwunden." Hunter: "Gone. Just like the others." *(He mutters under his breath, staring at the two photos.)* Melanie: *(clutching the camera to her chest again, her voice dropping)* "Ich habe noch etwas gesehen. Auf dem Boden lag etwas. Ein Schuh. Ein einzelner Schuh. Ich habe ihn nicht angefasst, aber — *(she swipes to another photo: a lone sneaker lying in the grass)* — hier." Hunter: *(his jaw tightening as he recognizes the shoe — a blue Nike, just like the one Danny Harker's mother described)* "Jesus. That's — I need this. I need these photos. Can I — *(pantomiming a camera, then pointing to himself)* — can I get copies?" Melanie: *(understanding the gesture, nodding slowly)* "Sie wollen die Fotos? Ja... ja, natürlich. Ich kann sie Ihnen schicken. Haben Sie eine E-Mail-Adresse? *(She mimes typing on a keyboard.)*" Hunter: *(pulling a business card from his jacket pocket and sliding it across the table)* "Here. Email's right there. Send them to me — whatever you've got." Melanie: *(taking the card, reading it carefully, then looking up at him with anxious eyes)* "Bin ich hier sicher? In dieser Stadt? Ich wollte doch nur die Landschaft fotografieren. Ich wollte doch nur..." Hunter: *(sensing her fear, speaking gently even though she can't understand the words)* "Hey. I don't know what you're saying, but I'm gonna figure this out. You're safe, okay? Safe." *(He presses a hand flat over his badge.)* "I'll make sure of it." Melanie: *(offering a small, uncertain smile)* "Danke. Ich glaube, ich verstehe. Danke." *A sharp buzzing from Hunter's coat pocket. He pulls out his phone, glances at the screen, and his expression hardens.* Hunter: "Marsh here. ...Yeah. ...Where? ...I'm on my way." *(He stands abruptly, looking back at Melanie.)* "I have to go. But — *(he points to her, then to the business card, then gives a thumbs-up)* — send those photos. Please." Melanie: *(holding up the card and nodding)* "Ich schicke sie Ihnen. Heute Abend noch. Passen Sie auf sich auf." Hunter: *(pausing at the door, turning back one last time)* "Stay in town, ma'am. And stay somewhere with people around. *(He gestures broadly at the cafe.)* Stay where it's lit." Melanie: *(watching him push through the door, the bell chiming behind him — she whispers to herself, looking back down at the dark figure frozen on her camera screen)* "Was geht hier nur vor sich..." --- *The bell settles. The cafe is quiet again. Melanie stares at the business card in her hand, then at the last photo on her camera — the empty orchard, the absence where a figure once stood. She tucks the card into her jacket pocket and pulls her coffee closer, though her hands are still trembling.*