Run: 2026-07-01-01KWE94ETWEDYF4PAEX30PZW40

**INT. MAPLE STREET CAFÉ - ALBORN, MN - AFTERNOON** *Melanie sits alone at a small table near the window, scrolling through photos on her camera's display screen. Her coffee sits untouched, growing cold. Detective Hunter approaches, notepad in hand, his expression all business.* **Hunter:** "Afternoon. Sorry to bother you. I'm Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. You mind if I ask you a few questions? Word is you were out by Miller's Creek yesterday evening, around the time the Petersen girl went missing." *Melanie looks up, startled. Her hands tighten around the camera.* **Melanie:** "Ich... ich verstehe nicht. Was meinen Sie?" **Hunter:** *(pausing, brow furrowing)* "Uh—sorry, come again?" **Melanie:** "Es tut mir leid, ich spreche kein Englisch. Können Sie das wiederholen?" **Hunter:** *(rubbing the back of his neck)* "Okay, that's... not English. German, right? You're German?" **Melanie:** *(nodding quickly, visibly shaken)* "Ja, ja, Deutsch. Ich komme aus München. Ich war gestern Abend dort, am Bach. Ich habe etwas gesehen—etwas Schreckliches." **Hunter:** "Something terrible? Did you just say—look, I don't know what you said, but you look pretty spooked. Did you see something out there?" *Melanie's hands are trembling now. She sets the camera down on the table and wraps her arms around herself.* **Melanie:** "Ich habe ein Licht gesehen, zwischen den Bäumen. Und dann... eine Gestalt. Eine Person, glaube ich. Sie war so schnell verschwunden. Ich hatte solche Angst, ich konnte nicht schreien." **Hunter:** *(leaning in, frustrated but patient)* "A light? Did you say light? Ma'am, I really need you to slow down—actually, I need you to speak English, because I have no idea what's coming out of your mouth right now." **Melanie:** *(shaking her head helplessly)* "Nein, nein—Sie verstehen nicht. Es war dunkel, und ich hatte meine Kamera dabei. Ich habe vielleicht ein Foto gemacht, aber ich bin nicht sicher." *She picks the camera back up, flipping through the images with shaking fingers. Hunter watches her closely, clearly picking up on her distress even without understanding the words.* **Hunter:** "Okay. Okay, I don't know what you're telling me, but based on how white your knuckles are right now, I'm guessing it's not good. Did you take a picture of something? Can I see the camera?" *He gestures toward the device. Melanie hesitates, then slowly turns the screen toward him.* **Melanie:** "Hier. Das habe ich gesehen. Ich weiß nicht, was das ist, aber es macht mir Angst." **Hunter:** *(squinting at the blurry image, unable to make much of it)* "I can't— I don't know what I'm looking at. Is that a person? A shadow? Ma'am, we really need a translator here." *Hunter's phone rings sharply, cutting through the tension. He glances at the screen, his jaw tightening.* **Hunter:** "Hunter." *(a pause, his expression darkening)* "When? ...Where?" *(he stands abruptly, chair scraping against the floor)* "I'm on my way." *He hangs up, casting one last look at Melanie, who is still staring at her camera with wide, frightened eyes.* **Hunter:** "Look, don't go anywhere. I mean it. I'm gonna get somebody down here who speaks German if it's the last thing I do. Stay put." **Melanie:** *(quietly, more to herself than to him)* "Ich hoffe, es geht ihr gut... dem Mädchen." *Hunter is already halfway to the door, phone pressed to his ear, missing her final words entirely. Melanie watches him go, then looks back down at the photo on her camera screen, her expression tightening with dread.*