Run: 2026-05-10-01KR8WD8J3YQKB4TX8TB6A7Z49

The scent of cinnamon and crisp autumn air drifted through the open door of the Alborn coffee shop, a stark contrast to the grim tension Hunter carried in his shoulders. He spotted her near the window—the French student, Marie. She was huddled over her DSLR camera, her brow furrowed as she cycled through images of the town square. He pulled out the chair across from her. She didn’t look up until the legs scraped against the floorboards. When she saw his stern, badge-pinned uniform, she pulled the camera closer to her chest, her eyes widening. *** **Hunter:** "Excuse me. I’m Detective Hunter. I’ve been asking around about the festival grounds yesterday evening. You were seen near the orchard perimeter around seven. Did you see anyone acting out of the ordinary?" **Marie:** "Oh, mon Dieu... Je ne comprends pas, monsieur... tout était si calme, mais alors... ces ombres. J'ai pris une photo, regardez! C'était terrifiant. Il n'y avait personne, pourtant l'appareil a capturé... quelque chose de sombre." **Hunter:** (Frowning, he leans in slightly, hands held up in a placating gesture.) "Slow down. I’m not following a word of that. Look, miss, I just need to know if you saw a vehicle or a person near the gates. Did you see someone leave?" **Marie:** (Her voice trembles, eyes darting to the window as if spotting the shadow again.) "C’est impossible à expliquer. Le silence avait une voix, vous comprenez ? J'ai peur. Pourquoi personne ne m'écoute ? C’est comme si cet endroit... il cache quelque chose de monstrueux." **Hunter:** (He rubs his temples, his patience fraying like an old rope.) "Lady, please. French, English, whatever... just point. Did you see a man? A woman? A car?" **Marie:** (She frantically pushes the camera toward him, tapping the digital screen with a shaking finger.) "Regardez l'écran ! S'il vous plaît, regardez ! Ce n'est pas une question de langue, c'est une question de vie ou de mort !" **Hunter:** (He reaches for his camera, pulling it toward him to squint at the screen—just as his radio erupts in a burst of harsh static against his hip.) **Dispatch:** "Detective, we’ve got a 10-54 at the abandoned grain elevator. Need you on-site, now." **Hunter:** (Swearing under his breath, he shoves the camera back toward her, his expression grim.) "Damn it. Look, stay where you are. I have to go deal with something, but we aren't done here." **Marie:** (Clutching her camera, she looks at the empty chair he left behind, her voice barely a whisper.) "Il ne comprend pas. Personne ne comprend le danger dans lequel nous sommes."