Run: 2026-05-01-01KQHS1NY82A1RJF9AG6A7BV5T

**Scene:** The cozy corner café in Alborn, MN buzzed softly with the chatter of locals and the clink of coffee mugs. Maria sat at a small wooden table near the window, her dark hair falling over one shoulder as she scrolled through the photos on her camera. The crisp autumn light filtering through the glass highlighted the vibrant reds and golds of the apple orchards she had captured during her morning walk. She was lost in the images, a slight frown creasing her brow at one particular shot. The bell above the door jingled as Hunter entered, his tall frame cutting an imposing figure in his worn leather jacket. The former Marine scanned the room with sharp, practiced eyes before spotting the young woman with the camera. He’d heard she might have been near the old mill the night before last—the site of the latest disappearance. With purposeful strides, he approached her table. **Voice Sheet:** Maria: “¿Qué? No entiendo… ¿Ha pasado algo en el pueblo? Vi algo raro anoche cerca del viejo molino… una sombra que no parecía normal. Me da miedo, no sé qué hacer. Todo esto me tiene muy nerviosa.” Hunter: “Miss, I’m Detective Hunter. I need to ask you a few questions about what happened two nights ago by the mill. Folks say you were out there taking pictures. Did you see anything unusual?” Maria: “¡Ay, Dios mío! Sí, había alguien… o algo. Corrí tan rápido como pude. No puedo dormir desde entonces. ¿Cree que está relacionado con las personas que han desaparecido?” Hunter: “I’m sorry, I don’t speak Spanish. English? Do you speak English? The disappearances. The mill. Did you see someone? A vehicle? Anything at all?” Maria: “No hablo inglés… Lo siento. Estaba sacando fotos del paisaje cuando oí un ruido extraño. Luego vi una figura oscura que se movía entre los árboles. Me asusté tanto que casi se me cae la cámara. ¿Qué está pasando en este pueblo? Tengo mucho miedo.” Hunter: “This is frustrating. Look, I’m not trying to scare you, but we’ve had three people vanish in the last month. If you saw something—anything—it could help. Just… slow down. Maybe write it down?” Maria: “¿Escribir? No sé… Estoy aquí por mi programa de estudios en el extranjero y ahora me encuentro en medio de algo terrible. Solo quiero volver a casa sana y salva.” Hunter: “Alright, I can see we’re not getting anywhere like this. I’ll try to find someone who speaks Spanish. In the meantime, stay safe and don’t go wandering around at night.” Maria: “¿Qué? ¿Se va? Por favor, no me deje sola con esto… Siento que alguien me observa.” At that moment, Hunter’s phone buzzed loudly in his pocket. He glanced at the screen, his expression tightening. Hunter: “This is Hunter… Yeah, I’m on my way. Don’t touch anything until I get there.” He looked back at Maria, offering what he hoped was a reassuring nod, though the language barrier left both of them clearly unsettled. With a final, apologetic shrug, he turned and strode out of the café, the bell jingling behind him once more. Maria watched him go, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched her camera, the peaceful apple festival town suddenly feeling far more sinister than before.