Run: 2026-09-23-01M36SFJYZV1DNX18ZJ97HYDRN

**VOICE SHEET — Scene: The Café on Main Street, Alborn, MN** --- **Hunter:** *(settling into the chair across from her, badge clipped to his belt)* "Mind if I sit? Detective Hunter, Alborn Police. You were over on Birch Lane last night, weren't you?" **Melanie:** *(glances up from her camera, a faint polite smile, then notices the badge — the smile falters)* "…Oh. Äh… Ich… ich spreche kein Englisch. Sorry." **Hunter:** *(blinks)* "No English? Okay. Um — were you on Birch Lane? Last night? Around ten o'clock?" **Melanie:** *(her brow creases; she tilts her head, understanding nothing but the tone — she senses he's asking about something serious. Her fingers tighten around her camera)* "Ich… ich verstehe Sie nicht. Tut mir leid." **Hunter:** *(slower, gesturing vaguely)* "Last night. Night. Darkness. Ten o'clock." *(holds up ten fingers)* **Melanie:** *(understanding the number now; her face goes pale, her voice dropping to a troubled, shaking whisper)* "…Ach, Gott. Ja. Ich war dort. Ich habe… ich habe etwas gesehen. Und dann… dann war das Mädchen weg. einfach so. weg. *(her voice trembles)* Ich… ich kann nicht aufhören, daran zu denken. Es war so dunkel, und ich habe nur das Klicken meiner Kamera gehört, und dann —" **Hunter:** *(frowning, leaning in slightly, catching none of it but noting her distress)* "Hey — slow down. You saw something? You saw *who*? What happened to the girl?" **Melanie:** *(looks at him with wide, frightened eyes, realizing he can't understand a word)* "Bitte… bitte, können Sie mir helfen? Ich weiß nicht, wem ich das erzählen soll. Niemand hier versteht mich…" **Hunter:** *(rubbing the back of his neck, frustrated but keeping his voice even)* "Alright, alright. I'm not getting anything. Do you — do you have someone who speaks English? A friend? A translator?" **Melanie:** *(shakes her head slowly, hugging her camera to her chest)* "Nein. Niemand. Ich bin nur… ich bin nur hier zum Studieren. Ich kenne niemanden in dieser Stadt." **Hunter:** *(sighs, pulling out a notepad)* "Okay. I'm gonna write down what I need, and you tell me yes or no. Can you do that?" **Melanie:** *(nods quickly, relieved there's a plan)* "Ja. Ja, das kann ich." **Hunter:** *(writes, slides the notepad across)* "Did you *see* the girl? Yes or no." **Melanie:** *(reads the word "girl," understands — her eyes fill with tears; she nods shakily, whispering)* "Ja. Ich habe sie gesehen. Und jetzt ist sie… *(voice breaking)* sie ist wie der Rest. verschwunden." **Hunter:** "That's a yes. Did you see anyone *else* with her?" **Melanie:** *(stares at the notepad, then slowly, with a haunted look, shakes her head)* "Nein. Ich… ich habe niemanden gesehen. Nur die Dunkelheit. Und ich habe es nicht sofort gemerkt — ich habe erst später auf die Fotos geschaut, und dann…" *(she trails off, gripping the camera harder)* **Hunter:** *(studying her face, then writing something else)* "Okay. Last one — can you describe what she was wearing? Anything you remember?" **Melanie:** *(opens her mouth, then lets out a small, overwhelmed sound — the emotion catching in her throat)* "Sie… sie hatte eine rote Jacke an. Und… und ich habe das Foto. Ich habe das Foto! *(she holds up the camera eagerly, a flicker of hope breaking through the distress)* Gucken Sie — das hier!" **Hunter:** *(leaning in to look at the camera screen, but his phone rings sharply. He holds up a finger — "one moment" — and answers. His expression hardens.)* "Yeah? …When? …I'm on my way." *(he stands, tucking the notepad away)* "I have to go. Don't leave town — I'm going to find someone who speaks your language, and we're going to finish this conversation." **Melanie:** *(confused by the sudden urgency, standing too, clutching the camera)* "Was… was ist passiert? Alles okay? *(watching him hurry away, calling after him with rising anxiety)* Warte! Bitte! Was ist los?!" ---