Run: 2026-02-25-01KJ94YMA16ZCB84XV1D5N4B76

INT. ALLEY CAT CAFE - DAY Alborn, MN's sole cafe, the Alley Cat, hums with mild midday activity. The scent of strong coffee and cinnamon rolls hangs in the air. Sunlight, softened by the crisp autumn air filtering through the windows, illuminates dust motes dancing above worn wooden tables. **SELVI** (30), abroad from India, sits at a corner booth, her prized DSLR camera resting on the table. She's absorbed in reviewing photos, her fingers gracefully navigating the camera's controls. The vibrant reds and yellows of the town's fall foliage flash across the small screen. The bell above the door CHIMES, announcing a new arrival. **DETECTIVE HUNTER** (35) steps in, his presence commanding but his eyes sharp, scanning the room. He’s a man of purpose, his no-nonsense demeanor a stark contrast to the cozy atmosphere. He spots Selvi, her foreign features and distinctive camera drawing his attention. Hunter walks directly to her table and slides into the seat opposite her, his large frame filling the space. Selvi looks up, startled, her brow furrowing slightly as she notices his badge. **Hunter:** Excuse me, ma'am. I'm Detective Hunter. I'm investigating some... unusual occurrences in town. I understand you might have seen something yesterday, or perhaps captured an image someone might be interested in? Selvi blinks, the directness of his approach, the authoritative tone, and the general gist of his questioning clearly unnerving her. She recognizes concern and a question in his eyes, perhaps relating to the unsettling feeling she’d had yesterday. Her breath hitches. **Selvi:** (Troubled, speaking rapidly in Hindi, her voice trembling) Oh Allah! Kya? Aap... aap kya keh rahe hain? Main...main to sirf... bohot dar gayi thi. Woh... woh dekha tha maine. Ajeeb tha. Boht ajeeb. Hunter stares, his confusion evident. He catches the distress in her voice and eyes, but not a single word registers. **Hunter:** Uh... I'm sorry, I don't... Hindi? Can you speak English? Selvi’s eyes widen, understanding his confusion. She shakes her head vigorously, clutching her camera a little tighter. She tries again, a desperate plea in her tone, pointing to her camera and then vaguely towards the window, trying to convey she witnessed something unsettling and perhaps photographed it. **Selvi:** Nahi! English nahi aati! Bas! Woh jo kal raat... wohi tha naa? Wahi dikha tha mujhe! Woh log... chale gaye. Andhera tha, par dekha maine. Kuch... kharaab tha. Hunter leans forward, his detective instincts kicking in. He can't grasp the words, but Selvi's sheer panic is palpable. He mimics people leaving, points to the dark, then to her camera, trying to bridge the vast communication gap with gestures and urgent expressions. **Hunter:** People leaving? Dark? What people? Did you see someone run? Was it near the lake? Did you get a picture of them? Selvi stares at him, tears welling in her eyes. She shakes her head frantically, pointing at her camera, then miming a large, indistinct movement she might have captured. She presses a hand to her chest, her Hindi laced with fear. **Selvi:** Sirf tasveer hai... par woh... woh nahi hona chahiye tha. Main neend nahi aa rahi. Wohi tha, shaayad. Jo gayab huey hain? Hai na? Boht dar lag raha hai. Hunter's shoulders slump slightly. He understands her terror. She believes she saw something critical, possibly related to the disappearances, and it's captured on her camera. But the specifics are locked behind an impenetrable language barrier. He runs a hand over his tired face. **Hunter:** Okay. Okay, look. I can see you're upset. I need... I need to know *what* you saw. *Who* you saw. Can you... point? Draw something? Selvi looks utterly lost, unable to bridge the gap. She shakes her head, simply wanting the frightening memory to end. **Selvi:** Mujhe nahi pata! Bas khatam ho gaya. Suddenly, Hunter’s mobile phone BUZZES with an insistent, loud ringtone, jarring them both. He pulls it out of his pocket, his eyes flicking to the screen. His demeanor shifts instantly, his previous frustration replaced by focused urgency. **Hunter:** Damn it. (He stands abruptly) Listen, I have to go. This is important. Can you wait here? He doesn't wait for an answer, his gaze already distant, focused on the call, the disappearances pulling him away. He turns and strides out of the cafe, leaving Selvi alone with her camera and her fear, looking even more shaken than before. *** **Voice Sheet:** **Hunter:** Excuse me, ma'am. I'm Detective Hunter. I'm investigating some... unusual occurrences in town. I understand you might have seen something yesterday, or perhaps captured an image someone might be interested in? **Selvi:** Oh Allah! Kya? Aap... aap kya keh rahe hain? Main...main to sirf... bohot dar gayi thi. Woh... woh dekha tha maine. Ajeeb tha. Boht ajeeb. **Hunter:** Uh... I'm sorry, I don't... Hindi? Can you speak English? **Selvi:** Nahi! English nahi aati! Bas! Woh jo kal raat... wohi tha naa? Wahi dikha tha mujhe! Woh log... chale gaye. Andhera tha, par dekha maine. Kuch... kharaab tha. **Hunter:** People leaving? Dark? What people? Did you see someone run? Was it near the lake? Did you get a picture of them? **Selvi:** Sirf tasveer hai... par woh... woh nahi hona chahiye tha. Main neend nahi aa rahi. Wohi tha, shaayad. Jo gayab huey hain? Hai na? Boht dar lag raha hai. **Hunter:** Okay. Okay, look. I can see you're upset. I need... I need to know *what* you saw. *Who* you saw. Can you... point? Draw something? **Selvi:** Mujhe nahi pata! Bas khatam ho gaya. **Hunter:** Damn it. Listen, I have to go. This is important. Can you wait here?