Run: 2026-05-10-01KR8XRZ4QX6YPEKVP656MRBXH

The scent of roasted coffee and cinnamon rolls filled the air of *The Apple Core Café*, but Isabella couldn't bring herself to enjoy it. She sat at a corner table, her fingers tracing the edge of her digital camera. On the small LCD screen, a photo from yesterday’s festival flickered—a shot of the crowded town square, beautiful and vibrant, yet there was something in the shadows of the background that made her stomach churn. She felt as though she had captured something she wasn't supposed to see. The bell above the door jingled, and a man with heavy footsteps and a tired, disciplined gait approached her table. He wore a dark jacket that looked far too functional for a cozy cafe, and his eyes held the weight of someone who hadn't slept in days. Hunter pulled out the chair opposite her without asking, his expression grim. "Excuse me," he said, his voice a low rumble. "I'm Detective Hunter. I noticed you were out by the orchard yesterday during the festival. Did you see anything unusual? Anyone acting out of place near the north trailhead?" Isabella looked up, her eyes wide and rimmed with a fatigue that mirrored his own. She stared at him, searching his face for understanding, but all she saw was the hardness of a man looking for facts. "Non so se posso dirlo," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Ho visto qualcosa... qualcosa che non mi fa dormire la notte. Era come se la foresta stesse mangiando le persone." Hunter blinked, his brow furrowing into a deep V. He leaned forward slightly, the confusion evident in the way he tilted his head. "I'm sorry? I didn't quite catch that. Do you speak English?" Isabella felt a pang of frustration and isolation. She gestured vaguely toward the woods outside the window, her hands shaking. "Le ombre... si muovevano in modo strano. Ho provato a fotografare, ma poi... è tutto sparito. È tutto così spaventoso qui." Hunter sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He leaned back, looking more lost than a man of his training should. "Look, lady, I don't know what you're saying. I don't know a word of Italian. If you saw something, you've got to try and show me. Was it a person? A vehicle?" Isabella picked up her camera, her knuckles white as she gripped the body of the device. She pointed to the screen, trying to find the exact moment of her unease, but before she could slide the camera toward him, a sharp, rhythmic buzzing cut through the tension. Hunter’s phone was vibrating violently against the wooden tabletop. He glanced at the caller ID and his entire demeanor shifted from confused to combat-ready. He stood up abruptly, the chair scraping harshly against the floor. "Duty calls," he said, his tone clipped and professional. "I'm sorry we couldn't make sense of this. If you find someone who can translate, find me at the station. Don't wander off alone." Without waiting for a response, he turned and vanished through the door, leaving Isabella alone with her camera and the haunting silence of the Midwest afternoon. *** **Voice Sheet** Isabella: "Non so se posso dirlo. Ho visto qualcosa... qualcosa che non mi fa dormire la notte. Era come se la foresta stesse mangiando le persone." Hunter: "I'm sorry? I didn't quite catch that. Do you speak English?" Isabella: "Le ombre... si muovevano in modo strano. Ho provato a fotografare, ma poi... è tutto sparito. È tutto così spaventoso qui." Hunter: "Look, lady, I don't know what you're saying. I don't know a word of Italian. If you saw something, you've got to try and show me. Was it a person? A vehicle?" Hunter: "Duty calls. I'm sorry we couldn't make sense of this. If you find someone who can translate, find me at the station. Don't wander off alone."