Run: 2026-07-07-01KWZ5JRTK7ED90SH0N4ZRTNSQ

**Voice Sheet: Cafe Encounter** MELANIE: (Looking down at her camera, turning it over in her hands. She doesn't notice Hunter approaching until he's right next to her table. She looks up, startled.) HUNTER: "Excuse me, miss. Sorry to bother you. I'm Detective Hunter from the local PD. I'm asking around about the disappearances. You were at the apple festival last night, right? Near the old orchard?" MELANIE: (Her eyes go wide. She blinks rapidly, her fingers tightening on the camera strap.) "Ich... ja, ich war dort. Aber..." (She shakes her head, her voice trembling.) "Es war schrecklich. Ich habe etwas gesehen. Etwas, das nicht richtig war." HUNTER: (He frowns, leaning in slightly.) "I'm sorry, I don't... understand. Do you speak English? Any English at all?" MELANIE: (She shakes her head vigorously, then points at her camera, then at the direction of the orchard, her hands shaking.) "Nein, nein. Bitte, hören Sie mich an. Ich habe Fotos gemacht. Da war ein Mann... und dann..." (Her voice cracks. She looks down, taking a shaky breath.) HUNTER: (He scratches the back of his neck, clearly frustrated.) "Okay, okay. Slow down. I don't know what you're saying. Just... point. Can you show me? On your camera?" (He gestures toward the device, then points at himself, then at the screen.) MELANIE: (She hesitates, then nods. She turns on the camera and scrolls through a few images, then stops at one. Her face pales.) "Hier. Sehen Sie. Der Mann im Schatten. Er hat sie mitgenommen. Ich habe es gesehen, aber niemand hat mir geglaubt." (Her voice is barely a whisper now.) HUNTER: (He stares at the photo, his jaw tightening. He looks at her, then back at the photo, then at her again.) "That's... that's good work. I need to see this. But I can't understand what you're saying." (He pulls out his phone, making a frustrated gesture.) "Do you have a pen? Paper? Maybe we can... write? Or I can call someone who speaks German?" MELANIE: (She shakes her head again, tears welling in her eyes. She sets the camera down and covers her face with her hands for a moment. Then she looks up, trying to compose herself.) "Es tut mir leid. Ich kann nicht. Mein Englisch ist... nicht vorhanden. Ich habe Angst." HUNTER: (He watches her, his expression softening slightly. He speaks slowly, with emphasis.) "I... understand. You're scared. That's okay. I'm going to help. But I need you to stay here. Don't leave town. I'll find someone who can interpret. Okay?" MELANIE: (She tilts her head, squinting at him, then points at the camera, then at him, her brow furrowed in confusion.) HUNTER: (He tries repeating with gestures.) "Stay. Here. Cafe. Don't leave." (He points at the chair, then the table, then makes a "stop" motion with his hand.) MELANIE: (She seems to understand and nods, wiping her eyes.) "Ja. Bleiben. Cafe. Ich... warte." HUNTER: (His phone buzzes loudly. He checks it, his face hardening.) "I have to go. Something came up." (He taps the camera screen.) "I'll take this photo with me. Please, stay safe. I'll come back." (He turns and walks quickly toward the door, phone pressed to his ear.) MELANIE: (She watches him go, then picks up her camera and holds it to her chest, her expression haunted and alone.) "Bitte kommen Sie zurück," she whispers to herself in German. "Bitte." ---