Run: 2026-03-11-01KKFE41G6PE48QBKSVZY5KP7T

The autumn chill settled over Alborn, MN, as the farmers' market prepared for its final weeks leading up to the annual Apple Festival. Inside *The Golden Grind* cafe, the smell of roasting coffee and cinnamon doughnuts hung heavy in the air. Maria sat in a corner booth, the leather seat creaking under her weight. On the table lay her camera, a bulky DSLR bagged loosely in her lap. She adjusted the dials with the focus of a master, though she hadn't taken a photo since morning. Her dark eyes darted around the room, soft and untrusting. The bell above the door chimed, drawing attention to the man who entered. Hunter, the investigating detective, wore a utility vest over his flannel. He stopped at the counter, receiving a lukewarm coffee which he drank quickly, his Marine-hardened face setting into a grim line. He scanned the room until he locked eyes with Maria. He approached her, sitting opposite without invitation. "What's the news out at the festival?" Hunter asked, his voice rough. "We got some reports." Maria looked at him sharply, her hand instinctively moving close to the camera. "I saw him," she said, her voice trembling. "The way he looks at those photos, you see? The town knows." Hunter frowned, squinting at her. "Who?" Maria shook her head, pacing with her anxiety. "It's not just photos. The disappearances, the secret. You are here." Hunter's brow furrowed deeper. He knew nothing of what she meant, and much to his frustration, he had zero grasp of the language she was speaking fluently. "You... you speak English?" Hunter asked, confused, a small smile trying to break through the tension. "I asked about... what's going on." Maria looked at him, uncomprehending. She swiped the lens cloth against her camera again. "I took the picture. I saw. It's not safe." Hunter's phone buzzed on his vest pocket. He looked down, a small shrug. "I have a call. I have to go." He stood up, leaving a stack of receipts on the table. Maria did not reach for her water. She set the camera down and looked at the door, the machinery of the town continuing to spin, unaware of the photograph she had captured. *** **Voice Sheet: Scene - [Coffee Shop, Alborn, MN]** **Character:** Maria **Action:** [Spoken in Spanish, distressed] Hunter: "What is going on, miss?" Maria: "[In Spanish] '¿Qué pasa? Estaba aquí... la foto' [What happened? I was here... the photo]" Hunter: "What photo?" Maria: "[In Spanish] 'De él. Mírame.' [Of him. Look at me]" Hunter: "I don't understand." Maria: "[In Spanish] 'Se va' [He leaves]" Hunter: "Got to go." **Character:** Maria **Action:** [Spoken in Spanish, defensive] Hunter: "Did you see anything unusual?" Maria: "[In Spanish] 'Sé algo. El museo.' [I know something. The museum]" Hunter: "Why would he know? What museum?" Maria: "[In Spanish] 'El festival. La fruta.' [The festival. The fruit]" Hunter: "I gotta run. Phone." Maria: "[In Spanish] 'No es seguro' [It's not safe]" Hunter: "You're staying?" Maria: [Silence] Hunter: "I'll be back."