Run: 2026-07-01-01KWE8TX05XKKQYSMPDMNMHPSM

The late afternoon sun slanted through the windows of the Alborn Café, catching the lens of the camera Isabella turned over and over in her hands. Her eyes were distant, replaying something she couldn't quite shake. The bell above the door jingled as Hunter walked in, scanning the room with the practiced eye of a man who never quite turned off duty. He spotted her and approached, pulling out the chair across from her without asking. --- **Hunter:** "Excuse me, miss. Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. I heard you were out near the orchard yesterday evening, around the time the Petersons' place went dark. Mind telling me what you saw?" **Isabella:** *(hands trembling slightly, gripping the camera strap)* "Non... non capisco. Cosa mi sta chiedendo? Ho visto qualcosa, ieri sera, vicino agli alberi. Era buio, e c'era una luce strana... si muoveva da sola." **Hunter:** *(brow furrowing, leaning back)* "Whoa — slow down. I don't... I don't speak Italian. Do you understand English at all?" **Isabella:** *(shaking her head, eyes welling with distress)* "Mi scusi, non parlo inglese. È successo qualcosa di terribile, lo sento. Ho paura. Le persone... la gente del paese, dicono che sono scomparse vicino al frutteto." **Hunter:** *(sighing, rubbing his temple)* "Okay. Okay, I'm gonna guess you're upset about something. Can you show me? Pictures — you've got a camera. Show me what you saw." **Isabella:** *(nodding quickly, relief flashing across her face as she understands the gesture, not the words)* "Sì, sì — le foto. Aspetti, gliele faccio vedere." *(She fumbles with the camera, flipping through the digital display, hands still shaking.)* "Guardi qui. Questa luce, l'ho vista muoversi tra gli alberi. E poi... è scomparsa. Come se non fosse mai stata lì." **Hunter:** *(squinting at the small screen, tilting his head)* "That's... huh. That's a strange angle. Can you get closer next time? I mean — actually, forget it, I can't ask you that, can I." *(He exhales, frustrated.)* "We need a translator down here, that's for damn sure." **Isabella:** *(quietly, almost to herself, voice cracking)* "Non voglio restare qui da sola stasera. Non dopo quello che ho visto." **Hunter:** *(catching her tone, softening slightly despite not understanding)* "Hey. Hey, it's alright. Whatever happened, we're gonna figure it out. Just — stay close to town, alright? Don't go wandering back out there." Before Isabella could respond, Hunter's phone buzzed sharply against the table. He glanced at the screen, jaw tightening as he read the message. **Hunter:** "Damn it. That's dispatch — another call just came in." *(He stood quickly, chair scraping against the floor.)* "I have to go. Stay put, alright? Someone from the station will come by to talk to you properly. Just... stay safe." **Isabella:** *(watching him go, clutching her camera tightly to her chest, whispering)* "Stia attento anche lei, detective. C'è qualcosa di sbagliato in questo posto." The door swung shut behind Hunter, the bell jingling once more, leaving Isabella alone with her photographs — and the unsettling feeling that whatever she had captured on film was only the beginning.