Run: 2026-05-10-01KR8WPKH6VT5T52RA3CD2R073

The air in Alborn was heavy with the scent of damp soil and the fading sweetness of the apple festival, which had concluded only two days prior. Melanie sat at a corner table in the town’s only café, the screen of her digital camera displaying a sequence of photos she’d taken near the edge of the woods. Her brow was furrowed, her finger hovering over the delete button, though she couldn't bring herself to press it. Hunter, his heavy boots clumping rhythmically against the floorboards, didn't bother with a polite preamble. He had seen the shutterbug lingering by the police tape yesterday, and he needed leads. He pulled out the chair opposite her, his silhouette blocking the weak afternoon light. *** **Voice Sheet** **Hunter:** "Miss. Detective Hunter. I’ve seen you snapping photos all over town this week. I need to know exactly what you saw near the festival grounds on Tuesday night. You were right there by the treeline." **Melanie:** (Her hands tremble, causing the camera to click against the table. She looks up, her eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears.) "Bitte... ich wollte nur die Äpfel fotografieren. Die Bäume... sie sahen so seltsam aus im Nebel. Aber dann, da war dieses Geräusch, wie ein Schlurfen. Ich habe nichts gesehen, wirklich nichts, aber ich spürte, dass jemand—oder etwas—mich beobachtet hat. Ich habe Angst! Bitte, sagen Sie mir, dass das alles nur ein dummer Scherz ist!" **Hunter:** (He leans back, his brow knitting together in deep frustration. He rubs his jaw, eyeing her camera, then her face, trying to decipher a single syllable.) "Whoa, slow down. Look, I don’t speak… whatever language that is. I just need you to point to it on the map or show me the photos. Did you see a person? A vehicle? Just stick to the facts, please." **Melanie:** (She gestures frantically toward the screen of her camera, though the image is just a blurry, dark expanse of branches.) "Verstehen Sie denn nicht? Es war kein Mensch! Die Kamera hat den Fokus verloren, als es passierte. Es ist alles verschwommen. Ich wollte nur schöne Bilder haben, kein Rätsel! Das Dorf ist nicht sicher, das spüre ich doch!" **Hunter:** (He sighs, his hand rapping impatiently on the tabletop. He reaches into his pocket to pull out a notepad, but his movements stop short when his radio crackles to life—a harsh, static-filled squawk.) "Yeah, Hunter here... What? Another one? Give me the coordinates. I'm on my way." **Hunter:** (He stands up abruptly, shoving his chair back with a sharp scrape. He gives Melanie a stern, apologetic look, though his eyes remain icy and focused on the job.) "Look, stay put if you can. I’ve got to go. Don't leave town, and for god's sake, keep that camera charged. We're going to have to find someone who can translate for us later." **Melanie:** (She grips her camera tightly to her chest, whispering to herself as he rushes out the door.) "Gott steh mir bei... er versteht gar nichts."