Run: 2026-07-01-01KWE95JDTCHQ4TN4GZ9J9MS21

The bell above the cafe door chimed softly as Hunter stepped inside, his eyes scanning the room until they landed on the woman sitting alone near the window. She was hunched over a camera, her fingers trembling slightly as she scrolled through the photos on its small screen. Her dark eyes looked troubled, distant. Hunter approached, notepad already in hand. Isabella: "Oh Dio... non riesco a smettere di pensarci. Quello che ho visto ieri notte vicino al bosco... non era normale." Hunter: "Ma'am? Sorry to bother you—I'm Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. I heard you might've been near the old mill road last night. Mind if I ask you a few questions?" Isabella: "Il bosco... c'erano delle luci strane, e poi ho sentito un rumore, come un grido. Non capisco cosa fosse." Hunter: "...I'm gonna be honest with you, I didn't catch a word of that." Isabella: *(shaking her head, pointing at her camera screen)* "Guardi—ho scattato una foto. Ma è tutta sfocata, mi tremavano le mani." Hunter: "You're not from around here, are you." *(he sighs, rubbing the back of his neck)* "Look, I just need to know if you saw anyone near the woods last night. Around 9, 10 PM?" Isabella: "Sì, sì—ero lì per fotografare le stelle, ma poi... quella luce. Si muoveva in modo strano. E dopo ho sentito qualcuno chiamare aiuto, credo." Hunter: "Help? Did you say help?" *(he leans in, trying to catch any familiar word)* "Ma'am, English—do you speak any English at all?" Isabella: *(shaking her head apologetically)* "No inglese. Mi scusi. Sono italiana—sono qui per lo studio all'estero." Hunter: "Italian. Great. That's just great." *(he exhales, glancing around the cafe as if hoping for a translator to appear)* "Okay. Okay, let's try this differently." He points to the camera, then makes a small gesture toward the woods outside the window. Isabella nods quickly, understanding, and turns the camera toward him, showing a blurry photo of shifting light and shadow near the treeline. Isabella: "Ecco—questa è la foto. Non si vede bene, ma la luce era proprio così, si muoveva avanti e indietro." Hunter: "That's... something. I'll give you that." *(he squints at the photo, frowning)* "Could be reflection off a car. Could be nothing. But that scream you mentioned—can you show me where, exactly?" Isabella points out the window toward the dark ridge of trees beyond the edge of town, her hand trembling slightly again. Isabella: "Là. Vicino a quegli alberi. Ho sentito la voce venire da lì, ne sono sicura." Hunter: "Alright. Alright, that's helpful, actually—more than you know." His phone buzzes sharply in his pocket. He glances at the screen, jaw tightening as he reads the message. Hunter: "Damn it. I have to go—looks like they found something out by the mill." *(he stands, tucking his notepad away, then hesitates, looking back at her)* "Listen—stay close, alright? Someone from the station will come by to talk to you properly, with a translator. Don't go wandering off to take pictures of any more weird lights, okay?" Isabella: *(nodding slowly, though clearly not understanding most of what he said)* "Va bene... buona fortuna, detective." Hunter: "Yeah. You too." He gives her one last uncertain look before turning and pushing quickly through the cafe door, the bell chiming again behind him as he disappears into the gray afternoon light.