Run: 2026-07-01-01KWEAAT21VS11KX80S6EPBV41

**Scene: Café on Main Street, Alborn, MN** The late afternoon sun slants through the café window, catching dust motes above a half-finished cup of coffee. Melanie sits at a corner table, scrolling through photos on her camera's display, her brow furrowed in concentration. The bell above the door jingles as Hunter steps in, scanning the room before making his way toward her. --- **Hunter:** "Excuse me, miss. You're the one who was out by Miller's Creek yesterday morning, right? Taking pictures?" **Melanie:** *(looking up, startled)* "Was? Entschuldigung, ich... ich habe Sie nicht verstanden." **Hunter:** *(pausing, tilting his head)* "You speak English?" **Melanie:** *(shaking her head slightly, voice trembling)* "Nein— ich meine, nicht gut. Es tut mir leid. Ich spreche kein Englisch." **Hunter:** *(sighing, pulling out the chair across from her)* "Okay. Okay, that's fine. Let's try this slow." *(pointing to her camera)* "Pictures. Creek. Yesterday?" **Melanie:** *(nodding hesitantly, her hands tightening around the camera)* "Ja... Fotos. Ich war dort. Aber— " *(her voice catches)* "—ich habe etwas gesehen. Etwas Schreckliches." **Hunter:** *(leaning forward, sensing her distress even without understanding)* "Something's wrong. You saw something?" *(gesturing toward the camera)* "Can I see the pictures? Photos?" **Melanie:** *(hands shaking slightly as she clutches the camera closer to her chest)* "Ich weiß nicht, ob ich das zeigen sollte. Es war... es war ein Schatten zwischen den Bäumen. Und dann diese Stimme. Ich hatte solche Angst." **Hunter:** *(frustrated, running a hand through his hair)* "I don't— I can't understand a word of that. Shadow? Did you say shadow?" *(mimes a shape with his hands)* "Something. In the trees?" **Melanie:** *(nodding rapidly, tears welling in her eyes)* "Ja, ja— genau. Im Wald. Bei der Brücke. Ich habe ein Foto gemacht, bevor ich weggelaufen bin." **Hunter:** "Photo. You took a photo of it?" *(pointing insistently at the camera screen)* "Show me. Please. This is important — people are missing." **Melanie:** *(hesitating, then slowly turning the camera toward him, though her hand trembles)* "Hier. Aber ich weiß nicht, was das ist. Es sieht aus wie... wie eine Person. Aber es war keine Person." Hunter squints at the small screen, his jaw tightening as he studies the blurred image — a dark shape half-hidden by fog and branches near the creek's edge. Before he can ask anything further, his phone buzzes sharply against the table. **Hunter:** *(glancing at the screen, cursing under his breath)* "Damn it. Not now." **Melanie:** *(watching him, confused and anxious)* "Ist alles in Ordnung?" **Hunter:** *(standing abruptly, phone pressed to his ear)* "Detective Hunter." *(pause, his face hardening)* "When? ... Where?" *(looking back at Melanie, his tone urgent but gentler)* "Stay here. Don't go anywhere. I'll send someone who speaks German, okay? Just— stay." **Melanie:** *(watching him rush toward the door, calling after him, voice small)* "Warten Sie! Was ist passiert? Bitte—" The door swings shut behind him, the bell jingling once more in the sudden silence. Melanie sits alone, camera clutched tightly in her lap, staring at the blurred photograph still glowing faintly on the screen.