Run: 2026-09-23-01M36WZ59DAGCYZSN2HMACGD3H

# Voice Sheet: The Café **Maria:** *(whispering to herself, scrolling through photos on her camera)* No puede ser... estas fotos... ¿Qué fue eso? **Hunter:** Excuse me, ma'am. Detective Hunter, Alborn PD. Mind if I ask you a few questions? **Maria:** *(looks up, startled, clutching her camera to her chest)* ¿Quién... quién es usted? No, no, por favor, no... **Hunter:** Ma'am, I understand this is unsettling, but I need to know what you saw at the orchard last night. Were you there? **Maria:** *(voice trembling, speaking rapidly)* No entiendo, por favor. No hablo inglés. Estaba ahí, sí, estaba fotografiando los manzanos, pero... lo que vi... no puedo... no puedo explicarlo así. *(shakes her head, eyes glistening)* **Hunter:** *(furrowing his brow, holding up a hand)* Okay... okay, slow down. I need you to stay calm. Can you tell me if you saw anyone near the Miller barn around 10 PM? **Maria:** *(fumbling through her camera bag for her phone)* Perdón, perdón... déjeme buscar... hay una aplicación... ¿Usted habla español? *(holds up her phone, showing a translation app with no signal)* No funciona... Dios mío, no funciona. **Hunter:** *(leaning in slightly, nodding as if he understands)* I hear you. Take your time. What's in the bag? Is that important? **Maria:** *(pulling out a handful of printed photos, hands shaking as she lays them out on the table)* Esto es lo que vi. Mírelo. Por favor, mírelo. *(points to one photo, then presses her palm to her forehead)* Y este... este... había algo entre los árboles. **Hunter:** *(stares at the photos, picks one up, tilts his head)* Hm. *(sets it back down)* Okay, these could be useful. Ma'am, I'm going to need these. Do you understand? I need to take these photos. **Maria:** *(pulls the photo back protectively)* ¿Qué? No... no, son mis fotos. No puedo... *(stands up abruptly, nearly knocking over her coffee)* Mire, no sé qué está pasando, pero estoy aterrorizada. Aquí, en este lugar, donde todo es... *(gestures vaguely at the quiet street outside)* ...calmo, y sin embargo... **Hunter:** *(sighs, rubbing the back of his neck)* Listen, I don't know what you're saying, but you look scared, and that's enough for me. I'm gonna need you to come down to the station so we can sort this out with a translator. **Maria:** *(her expression shifts — confused, then alarmed)* ¿Estación? No... no, no quiero ir a ninguna estación. Estoy sola aquí. No hablo inglés. *(backs away from the table)* No puedo entenderle y usted no puede entenderme. Esto no... esto no sirve de nada. **Hunter:** *(pulls out a notebook, writes "STATION?" and slides it across the table)* Look — I just want to keep you safe. These disappearances? They're getting closer to town. I can't let you sit out here alone. **Maria:** *(looks at the notebook, reads the word, then looks at Hunter — something in his expression registers)* *(quietly)* …Miedo. Usted también tiene miedo. **Hunter:** *(beat, then quietly)* Yeah. Yeah, I do. *(A long, uneasy silence. They stare at each other across the table — two people separated by a wall neither can break through.)* **Maria:** *(softly, almost to herself)* Qué raro... nos hablamos y no nos entendemos, y aun así... *(places a hand over her heart)* **Hunter:** *(his phone rings — sharp and loud in the quiet café. He snatches it up)* Hunter. …Yeah. …When? *(his jaw tightens)* …We're on our way. *(hangs up, already standing, chair scraping back)* **Maria:** *(flinches at the noise, watching him)* ¿Qué pasa? ¿Qué ha pasado? **Hunter:** *(pauses, looks down at her, then pulls a card from his jacket and sets it on the table next to the photos)* Keep these. Call this number. *(taps the card)* Get a translator. And stay somewhere public tonight. **Maria:** *(picks up the card, turns it over in her fingers, looks up — but Hunter is already moving toward the door)* …Espere. *(stands)* ¡Espere, por favor! **Hunter:** *(stops at the door, half-turns)* I'll find you. I promise. **Maria:** *(stares after him as the door swings shut, clutching the card and her camera, whispering)* …No he entendido una sola palabra. Y sin embargo... *(sits back down slowly, staring at the photos on the table)* …estoy más asustada que antes.