Run: 2026-03-11-01KKFBB5CNRMFW0TY9JMHVA243

**Café Scene – Alborn, MN** Melanie: *scrolling through photos on her camera, muttering quietly to herself* "Hmm... das ist interessant..." Hunter: *pulling out a chair across from her, showing his badge* "Detective Hunter. You're the photography student, right? I need to ask you some questions about what happened down by the river last Tuesday." Melanie: *looking up, startled, clutching her camera to her chest* "J-ja, ich bin Melanie. Ich... ich spreche kein Englisch... Es tut mir leid." Hunter: *blinking, furrowing his brow* "Sorry... I didn't catch any of that. Do you... speak English?" Melanie: *shaking her head, eyes wide* "Nein, nein. Kein Englisch. Deutsch. Ich komme aus Deutschland." *gestures to herself, then points away vaguely* "Deutschland. Ich bin... studentin. Student." Hunter: *leaning back, rubbing his temples* "Okay. Great. That's... just great." *pauses, then points to her camera* "Camera. Photos. You take photos, yes? Near the river?" Melanie: *her expression darkens, she nods slowly and pulls up a specific photo on her camera screen, turning it toward him with trembling hands* "Ja. Ja, Fotos. Ich war am Fluss. Ich habe... gesehen..." *she swallows hard, her voice dropping* "Etwas... etwas Schreckliches." Hunter: *squinting at the photo on the small screen* "I don't know what I'm looking at here. Is that... a figure? In the trees?" Melanie: *nodding rapidly, pointing at the screen* "Ja! Ja! Da! Ein Mann... oder... ich weiß nicht. Es war dunkel. Und dann..." *she mimes someone vanishing, spreading her hands apart* "Weg. Einfach weg." Hunter: *staring at her, piecing together her gestures* "Someone disappeared. You saw someone disappear. Is that what you're telling me?" Melanie: *eyes glistening, she nods and whispers* "Ja. Bitte. Bitte helfen Sie mir. Ich habe Angst." Hunter: *quietly, almost to himself* "I don't know what you just said, but... I believe you." *his phone buzzes loudly in his pocket* "Damn it." *holds up a finger to her* "One second." Hunter: *answering the phone, standing abruptly* "Hunter here." *his face goes stern* "When? ...I'm on my way. Don't let anyone near the scene." *hangs up, looking back at Melanie with a frustrated sigh* "Look, I have to go. Something's come up. Stay here, okay? Don't go anywhere alone." Melanie: *confused but recognizing his urgency, she clutches her camera* "Warten? Hier bleiben?" Hunter: *pointing firmly at her chair, then at the ground* "Stay. Here. I'll come back. We need to talk about that photo." *already backing toward the door* "I'll find someone who speaks German. Just... don't delete that picture." Melanie: *hugging her camera protectively, nodding* "Ja. Ich bleibe. Bitte... kommen Sie zurück." Hunter: *pausing at the door, giving her one last serious look* "I will." *disappears out into the grey Alborn afternoon*