Run: 2026-05-10-01KR9288C9MB5D402TQD12ECYJ

The afternoon sun filtered through the windows of The Apple Core Cafe, casting long, honey-colored streaks across the wooden tables. Marie sat in the corner, her fingers tracing the sleek edge of her Nikon. She wasn't looking at the landscape photos she had captured earlier that morning; instead, she was staring at the screen, her eyes wide and clouded with a lingering dread. The bell above the door chimed, cutting through the low hum of local gossip. Hunter approached her table, his heavy boots thudding rhythmically against the floor. He looked out of place in the quaint, floral-scented cafe, his broad shoulders and rigid, military posture acting like a lightning rod for attention. He pulled out the chair opposite her without waiting for an invitation. Marie looked up, her breath hitching slightly at the sight of his stern expression. Marie: "Oh, bonjour... Excusez-moi ?" Hunter: "Sorry to interrupt. I’m Detective Hunter. I saw you out near the old orchard earlier with that camera. Did you see anything unusual happening near the north trailhead yesterday evening?" Marie: "Je... je ne sais pas si c'est une bonne idée de parler de ça. J'ai encore peur. Tout était si silencieux, et puis soudain... ce cri. Je n'arrive pas à l'oublier." Hunter: "I’m sorry, I didn't catch that. Do you speak English? I'm looking for any witnesses to the disappearance near the woods." Marie: "Je ne parle pas anglais. Je suis vraiment désolée. C'était terrifiant, monsieur. J'ai vu quelque chose que je ne devrais pas avoir vu." Hunter: "Look, I don't mean to be rude, but I really need a 'yes' or a 'no' here. Did you see a person or a vehicle near the orchard?" Marie: "S'il vous plaît, laissez-moi tranquille. Je ne comprends rien à ce que vous dites, mais votre regard... il est aussi sombre que ce qui s'est passé." Hunter sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. He felt the frustration bubbling up—not at her, but at the wall of language standing between him and a lead. He leaned forward, trying to use gestures to bridge the gap. Hunter: "Listen, Miss... Marie, is it? I'm trying to help. People are going missing in Alborn. I need to know if you saw anything suspicious. Anything at all." Marie: "Vous semblez chercher la vérité, mais la vérité est parfois plus lourde que ce que vous pouvez porter." Hunter: "I don't know what that means, but you look like you've seen a ghost. If you find a way to explain it, come find me at the station." Before Marie could respond, the heavy vibration of a phone cut through the tension. Hunter pulled his mobile from his belt, glancing at the screen. His jaw tightened. Hunter: "Duty calls. Sorry. Stay safe, alright?" Marie: "Au revoir, monsieur. Faites attention à vous." Hunter: "Yeah. You too." He turned on his heel and marched out of the cafe, leaving Marie alone with her camera and the haunting silence of the afternoon.