Run: 2026-04-25-01KQ2JE8QBGAZF6G9BG6WQC48Z

**Setting:** A sun-dappled table outside The Steaming Bean Cafe on Alborn's Main Street. The air smells of fresh apple cider. A half-empty cappuccino sits next to Isabella. --- **Isabella:** (Staring at the LCD screen on her camera, brow furrowed. She mutters to herself) Non è possibile... la luce era perfetta. Perché è così scura? E questa ombra... (Hunter approaches, his own shadow falling over her table. He clears his throat. Isabella jumps, clutching the camera to her chest.) **Hunter:** Ma'am? Sorry to startle you. I'm Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. You're Isabella Rossi, correct? The exchange student? I saw you at the town hall yesterday, for the founder's day speech. You were taking a lot of pictures. **Isabella:** (Eyes wide, a flicker of panic. She speaks rapidly in Italian) Oh, è lei. Il detective. Mi dispiace, non stavo facendo niente di male. Solo foto. Foto del municipio, delle persone... è andato tutto così in fretta, un momento era lì e poi... non lo so. **Hunter:** (Holding up a hand, his expression a mixture of patience and confusion) Whoa, slow down. I... I didn't catch any of that. Do you speak English? English? **Isabella:** (Shakes her head, her knuckles white around the camera. She takes a shaky breath and tries to use simple words, speaking with her hands) Scusi. English... piccolo. Very little. But... you ask about yesterday? For the man? Signor Governatore? **Hunter:** Mayor Thompson. Yes. You saw him? Right before it happened? **Isabella:** (Her face crumples. She gestures wildly at her camera, then at the sky, then at the space next to her) Sì! Lui parlava... parlava, e io clic, clic, clic con la macchina. E poi... un corvo. Un grande, nero corvo. Ha urlato. E l'ombra... l'ombra non era giusta. Veniva dalla parte sbagliata. Poi il sindaco, lui si è fermato, ha guardato il cielo come se avesse visto... non lo so... un fantasma. E poi... silenzio. Un silenzio terribile. Quando ho guardato di nuovo, la folla urlava, ma lui... sparito. Andato. (Tears well up in her eyes.) Non c'era. Io ho solo foto del niente. Del posto vuoto dove stava lui. **Hunter:** (Leans forward, his brow furrowed in concentration. He only caught a few words) A crow... a shadow? You said 'shadow'? And 'silent'? Something about a shadow that wasn't right? **Isabella:** (Frustrated, she turns on her camera and scrolls frantically. She shows him the screen.) Sì! Ombra! Guarda! Vede? Lui è qui, sorridente. Lo scatto dopo... (She clicks to the next frame. It shows the empty podium, but a bizarre, stretched shadow falls across the wood, bending at an angle that doesn't match the afternoon sun.) ... questo. L'ombra è... sbagliata. Distorta. Come di un'altra luce. Di qualcosa che non dovrebbe essere lì. È il male? È la magia? Io non capisco. Ho paura. Mi tremano le mani. (She shows him her shaking hands. Hunter looks from the eerie photo to her8000 genuinely terrified face. His own expression is a mask of deep confusion and a growing, unfamiliar sense of unease.) **Hunter:** I... I don't understand the words, but I understand this. You're5555 scared. And this photo... this is9000 not normal. Can you... can you send me this picture? Email? To the station? (He mimes typing.) Computer? **Isabella:** (Nods vigorously.) Sì, sì. Email. Per la polizia. Dovete trovare... qualunque cosa l'abbia preso. (Before Hunter can reply, his cell phone rings. The sound is harsh and intrusive in the quiet cafe. He glances at the caller ID and his face tightens.) **Hunter:** (Into the phone) Aldridge. ... What? ... Now? Where? ... The old orchard. On my way. (He hangs up and looks at Isabella, his expression now entirely serious, the no-nonsense marine taking over.) **Hunter:** I have to go. Another... call. You send that photo, Ms. Rossi. Right away. And... stay inside. Don't go out taking any more landscape shots tonight, capisce? Understand? Stay. Inside. **Isabella:** (Nods, clutching the camera like a shield.) Capisco. Starò dentro. Stia attento, detective. L'ombra... è affamata. (Hunter gives her a long, unreadable look, then turns and jogs away towards his car, leaving Isabella alone at the table, the untouched cappuccino growing cold beside her.)