Run: 2026-05-20-01KS260XHYN8S82F9BXHGVV8K9

**Setting:** *The Wooden Spoon Café, Alborn, MN. The air smells of cinnamon and freshly baked apple pies. Marie sits at a corner table, her brow furrowed as she scrolls through the digital viewfinder of her DSLR camera. Detective Hunter approaches, holding a lukewarm cup of black coffee.* **Voice Sheet:** Hunter: "Excuse me, miss? Mind if I have a word? I'm Detective Hunter. I'm investigating the disappearance of the Peterson boy near the orchards last night. I noticed you were taking pictures near the old red barn around dusk. Did you happen to see anything unusual?" Marie: *"Oh! Mon Dieu... vous m'avez fait peur. Oui, j'étais là-bas... C'était horrible. J'ai vu... j'ai vu une silhouette près des arbres. Quelque chose ne tournait pas rond, l'ambiance était si lourde. Je tremble encore rien que d'y penser."* Hunter: "Uh... right. Look, I don't speak... whatever language that is. French? English, please. Do you speak English? Did you see anyone by the barn? A teenager, wearing a green hoodie?" Marie: *"Je... je ne comprends pas. Anglais? Non, désolée, je ne parle pas anglais. Mais regardez... regardez mes photos. Quelque chose de terrible se passe dans cette ville, j'en suis sûre. Les gens disparaissent, n'est-ce pas?"* Hunter: "Whoa, slow down. Just... show me. *Montre-moi?* Is that how you say it? Your camera. Did you get a photo of the kid?" Marie: *"La mise au point est mauvaise parce que j'avais les mains qui tremblaient... Regardez cette ombre, juste là, derrière le tracteur. Ce n'est pas humain, Monsieur. Ce n'est pas possible."* Hunter: "I have no idea what you're saying, lady. But that look on your face... you saw something that scared you, didn't you? Let me see the screen. Just tilt it towards me." Marie: *"Tenez, regardez vous-même. Mais s'il vous plaît, dites-moi que ce garçon va bien. Cette ville m'angoisse terriblement depuis hier soir."* Hunter: "Let's see here... squinting at this tiny screen isn't helping. It's just a bunch of blurry trees and—wait, what is that shape in the fog?" *[Hunter's rugged smartphone suddenly buzzes loudly, vibrating against his chest pocket. He sighs, pulling it out and glancing at the screen.]* Hunter: "Hold that thought. I have to take this. Hunter here... What? Another one? Down by the riverbank? I'm on my way." Marie: *"Qu'est-ce qui se passe? Vous devez partir? S'il vous plaît, attendez, vous ne pouvez pas me laisser avec ces images sans m'expliquer!"* Hunter: "Look, miss—Marie, is it? Your student ID is peeking out of your bag. Marie. I have to go. Duty calls. Just... stay here, okay? Stay in public. *S'il vous plaît?* Argh, I'll find a translator and come find you later."