Run: 2026-09-23-01M37NSHYM80P97DWF27ES2Y5S

**Scene: The Cider Press Café, Alborn, MN — mid-morning** --- **Hunter:** "Morning. Mind if I sit? I'm Detective Hunter, Alborn PD." *(shows badge)* "I'm asking folks about last Tuesday night. Were you anywhere near Hollis Orchard after dark?" **Selvi:** *(startled, clutching her camera)* "माफ़ कीजिए... मैं अंग्रेज़ी नहीं समझती।" *(I'm sorry... I don't understand English.)* **Hunter:** *(slower, louder, as if that helps)* "Tuesday. Night. The orchard. Did you see anyone there?" **Selvi:** *(shaken, words tumbling out)* "मैंने वहाँ कुछ देखा था... सुबह-सुबह, कोहरे में। पेड़ों के बीच कोई आकृति थी। वह कुछ घसीट रही थी... मैं डर गई थी। मुझे अब भी कांपनी नहीं रुक रही।" *(I saw something there... early morning, in the fog. There was a figure between the trees. It was dragging something... I was terrified. I still can't stop trembling.)* **Hunter:** *(frowning)* "Ma'am, I'm going to need you to slow down. English only, please." **Selvi:** *(pointing toward the window, toward the orchard road, then hugging herself)* "वह तरफ़... सेब के बगीचे में। मैं तस्वीरें लेने गई थी, सूरज उगने से पहले। कोहरा बहुत घना था।" *(That way... in the apple orchard. I had gone to take photographs, before sunrise. The fog was very thick.)* **Hunter:** *(following her gesture, then leaning forward)* "The orchard? Were you at the orchard Tuesday morning?" **Selvi:** *(nodding quickly, then lifting her camera with trembling hands)* "यह देखिए... मैंने यहाँ सब कुछ इसमें कैद कर लिया है। लेकिन उस आकृति की तस्वीर लेने की हिम्मत नहीं हुई। मैं भाग खड़ी हुई।" *(Look at this... I captured everything in here. But I didn't have the courage to take a picture of that figure. I ran away.)* **Hunter:** *(eyeing the camera)* "Is that—? Do you have photos? Photos of the orchard?" **Selvi:** *(scrolling, showing the screen)* "यह देखिए। यहाँ सब दिख रहा है। लेकिन वह... वह इंसान था या कुछ और? मैं आज तक नहीं समझ पाई।" *(Look. Everything is visible here. But that... was that a person, or something else? I still haven't been able to understand.)* **Hunter:** *(studying the screen, spotting a dark blur between the apple trees)* "Hold on. What is that, right there? Can you zoom in on that?" **Selvi:** *(zooming in, voice dropping to a whisper)* "मैं इसे छू भी नहीं पाई थी... जब भी इस तस्वीर को देखती हूँ, मेरा दिल ज़ोर से धड़कता है।" *(I couldn't even bring myself to touch it... whenever I look at this photo, my heart pounds.)* **Hunter:** "That's... that could be something. Ma'am, I'm going to need you to come down to the station. Bring the camera. Can you do that? Station?" *(mimes walking, points down the street)* **Selvi:** *(confused, pressing a hand to her chest)* "आप क्या कहना चाहते हैं? मैं आपकी किसी बात नहीं समझ पा रही हूँ... क्या मुझ पर कोई शक है? मैं कुछ गलत नहीं किया, मैंने सिर्फ़ तस्वीरें लीं!" *(What are you trying to say? I can't understand anything you're saying... do you suspect me? I haven't done anything wrong, I only took pictures!)* **Hunter:** *(raising his palms)* "Whoa, whoa. Nobody's accusing you of anything. You're not in trouble. I just—" *(pulls out a business card, sets it on the table)* "—if you remember anything else. Anything at all." **Selvi:** *(picking up the card, studying the unfamiliar letters)* "यह आपका नाम है? हंटर? मुझे यह रखने दीजिए। शायद कोई मेरी मदद कर सके... कोई जो दोनों ज़बानें जानता हो।" *(Is this your name? Hunter? Let me keep this. Maybe someone can help me... someone who knows both languages.)* **Hunter:** *(phone buzzing; he glances at the screen, jaw tightening)* "Hunter. ...When? ...No, don't touch anything. I'll be there in ten minutes." *(standing, grabbing his coat)* "Ma'am—Selvi—stay put in town. Don't go back to that orchard alone. You understand? Orchard?" *(points, shakes his head firmly)* **Selvi:** *(alarmed by his urgency, gripping the card)* "क्या हुआ? कहीं कोई और गायब हो गया है क्या? हे भगवान... वह आकृति... वह फिर लौट आई है, है ना?" *(What happened? Has someone else disappeared? Oh God... that figure... it's come back, hasn't it?)* **Hunter:** *(pausing at the door, one last look at her camera)* "Whatever you saw out there... keep that camera close, ma'am." **Selvi:** *(to herself, watching him go)* "काश मैं आपको बता पाती... काश कोई मेरी बात सुन पाता।" *(If only I could tell you... if only someone could hear me.)* --- *End of scene.*