Run: 2026-05-01-01KQHS5ZJT6B8FZZ3AJ931N20C

**Scene:** The small-town café in Alborn, Minnesota smelled of fresh coffee and cinnamon pastries. Sunlight filtered through the large front windows, casting a warm glow over the wooden tables. Selvi sat near the window, her dark hair falling across her shoulder as she scrolled through the photos on her camera. The lens still held images from her morning walk along the orchard trail—golden leaves, dew-covered apples, and one disturbing shot she couldn’t stop staring at: a single abandoned sneaker half-buried in fallen leaves. The bell above the door jingled. Hunter entered, his tall frame and serious expression cutting through the relaxed atmosphere like a knife. His eyes scanned the room until they landed on the young woman with the camera. He approached her table with the measured stride of someone who had spent years in the Marines. Hunter pulled out the chair opposite her and sat down without waiting for an invitation. **Voice Sheet:** Selvi: "..." Hunter: "Ma'am, I'm Detective Hunter with the Alborn County Sheriff's Office. I understand you were out near the north orchard trail yesterday morning. Mind if I ask what you saw out there?" Selvi: "Kya? Main samajh nahi rahi hoon. Mujhe sirf Hindi aati hai... Main yahaan sirf padhne aayi hoon. Woh... woh joote waali photo... bahut ajeeb tha. Jaise koi... koi gayab ho gaya ho. Main darr rahi hoon." Hunter: "..." Selvi: "Mainne kuch nahi dekha, bas ek joota. Ek akela joota ped ke neeche. Phir maine camera mein dekha aur... aur mujhe laga jaise koi mujhe dekh raha tha. Bahut gussa tha. Main ab photography bhi nahi karna chahti." Hunter: "I... don't speak whatever language that is. Hindi? Look, I just need to know if you saw anyone acting strange. Any vehicles? Anyone who didn't belong?" Selvi: "Aap samajh nahi rahe hain. Main English nahi bol paati. Woh disappearances... maine suna hai log gayab ho rahe hain. Main yahaan safe feel nahi kar rahi. Mujhe ghar jaana hai." Hunter: "This isn't getting us anywhere. Damn it. I wish I had a translator on hand." Selvi: "Agar aap mujhe madad kar sakein... main yahaan akeli hoon. Camera mein jo dekha... woh sapna nahi tha. Koi hai yahaan jo logon ko utha raha hai. Mainne mehsoos kiya." Hunter: "Alright, listen. I'm going to write down my number. If you remember anything—anything at all—you call me. Or get someone who speaks English to call me." *The detective scribbled his number on a napkin and slid it across the table. Selvi stared at the numbers, her hands trembling slightly as she clutched her camera.* Selvi: "Shukriya... lekin main ab bhi darr rahi hoon." Hunter's phone suddenly buzzed loudly against the table. He glanced at the screen, his expression tightening. Hunter: "This is Hunter... Yeah. On my way." *He stood up quickly, giving Selvi one last frustrated but not unkind look.* Hunter: "Stay safe, okay? We'll figure this out." *Hunter strode out of the café, the bell jingling behind him. Selvi watched him go, then looked back down at her camera, the troubling image of the lone sneaker still glowing on the screen.*