Run: 2026-05-10-01KR92MB1GGQNWB3P3C0J0HYZ7

The golden afternoon light of Alborn, Minnesota, filtered through the window of the local cafe, catching the lens of Melanie’s camera as she scrolled through her digital gallery. She frowned, her finger hovering over a blurred shot of the apple orchard’s perimeter. Hunter pulled out the chair opposite her, his heavy combat boots scraping against the tiled floor. He adjusted his jacket, his expression as stiff as his posture. He’d seen the girl loitering near the restricted woods all week. *** **Voice Sheet** **Hunter:** "Excuse me. I’m Detective Hunter. I’ve been asking around about the missing hikers, and I noticed in the background of a few recent posts that you were near the north trail on Tuesday. Did you see anything unusual out there?" **Melanie:** *(Her eyes widen, breath hitching as she looks up from her camera; her voice is frantic and high-pitched)* "Um Gottes Willen! Es war so dunkel... diese Augen, sie haben mich beobachtet, als ich die Linse fokussiert habe. Ich hätte nie dorthin gehen sollen, das Licht hat sich so seltsam verzerrt!" **Hunter:** *(Frowns, leaning in with a perplexed tilt of his head)* "Slow down. I’m not following you. Look, I don't need a life story, just a direction. Did someone approach you? Was there a vehicle?" **Melanie:** *(Shaking her head aggressively, tapping the camera screen and pointing toward the woods)* "Verstehen Sie nicht? Die Kamera lügt nicht! Da war niemand, aber da war etwas! Ein Schatten, der kein Körper hatte. Ich habe Angst, dass es mich auch holt!" **Hunter:** *(Rubbing his temples, an exasperated sigh escaping his lips)* "I’m getting absolutely nowhere here. Is there anyone in town who speaks your language? This is a dead end." **Melanie:** *(Her shoulders slump, looking down at her hands, trembling)* "Es ist egal. Niemand wird mir glauben. Ich will nur nach Hause. Hier ist es nicht sicher." **Hunter:** *(His phone vibrates violently on the table; he glances at the screen, his expression hardening into professional alertness.)* "Right. Duty calls. Stay put, kid. Don't go back to those woods. You hear me?" **Melanie:** *(Whispering to herself)* "Ja, genau... gehen. Das ist das Einzige, was ich tun kann." **Hunter:** *(Scowling as he stands up, shoving his phone into his pocket)* "I'll try to find someone who can translate later, but for now? Stay in the crowded parts of town. Do not leave your hotel room until I come back." *(Hunter turns briskly toward the door, leaving Melanie alone with her camera and the stifling silence of the cafe.)*