Run: 2026-07-07-01KWZ3R6RKTSHFN8X38MXWJWZV

--- **Scene: The Apple Core Café, Alborn, MN - Late Afternoon** *Marie sits at a corner table, her camera in her hands as she scrolls through photos. Her coffee has gone cold. She keeps zooming in on one image—a shadowy figure near the edge of the woods. When Hunter approaches, she startles.* --- Hunter: "Excuse me, miss? I'm Detective Hunter with the Alborn Police Department. Mind if I sit down?" Marie: *looks up, nervous* "Je... je ne comprends pas. Désolée." Hunter: *pulls out a chair* "I'm sorry, I don't—do you speak English? Even a little?" Marie: "Non... je ne parle pas anglais. Je suis désolée, je—*" *gestures helplessly* "—je ne comprends rien." Hunter: *sits, showing his badge* "I'm police. Police." *touches his chest* "Detective Hunter." *Points to her* "Marie?" Marie: *eyes widen, nods slowly* "Oui. Oui, Marie." *she clutches her camera closer* Hunter: "There was an incident—last Tuesday night, near the old mill. A man went missing. You were there." *points to her camera* "You take pictures?" Marie: *understands "pictures," her face drains of color* "Mon Dieu... oui. Oui, j'ai vu—j'ai vu quelque chose. Un homme... dans les bois." *she trembles, swiping to the photo* "Regardez. Regardez!" Hunter: *leans forward, looking at the screen* "I don't understand what you're saying, but—" *sees the shadowy figure* "—show me that again." Marie: "Il était là! Dans les arbres! Il regardait—" *she mimes someone watching, then shivers* "—et puis... disparu. Disparu." Hunter: "Disappeared?" *hears the similarity* "Disparu... disappeared. He disappeared?" Marie: *nods frantically, tears forming* "Oui! Disparu! Comme les autres!" Hunter: "Others? *Les autres?*" *he pulls out his notepad, sketches stick figures* "More people? How many?" Marie: *holds up three fingers* "Trois. Trois personnes." Hunter: *jaw tightens* "Three. That matches what we have." *He looks at her camera again* "Can you—can you send me this photo? The picture?" Marie: "Photo?" *she points to his phone, then to her camera, miming transfer* Hunter: *nods, pulls out his phone* "Yes. Photo. Here." Marie: *starts fumbling with her camera, connecting it* "Je peux... je peux vous l'envoyer. Un moment." Hunter: "Good. That's—" *His phone rings. He glances at the screen—his expression hardens.* Hunter: "I have to take this." *into phone* "Hunter. ...When? ...Are you serious?" *stands abruptly* "I'm on my way." *He looks back at Marie, torn.* Hunter: "Stay here. *Restez ici.*" *he pauses, unsure if he said it right* "Don't leave town. I'll find someone who speaks French." Marie: *grabs his arm* "Attendez! Il reviendra! Il reviendra!" Hunter: *gently removes her hand* "I'll be back. Stay safe." *He rushes out, leaving Marie alone with her camera and the image of whatever lurks at the edge of those woods.* --- **[End of Scene]**