Run: 2026-10-07-01M4ATXYAGEJRWRQBSD4WFYE9F

**Scene:** The Apple Core Café, downtown Alborn. Morning light streams through lace curtains. Marie sits at a corner table, her Nikon camera in hand, scrolling through photos on the digital screen with a troubled expression. **Hunter:** "Excuse me, miss? I'm Detective Hunter. I'm investigating the disappearances. Were you at the Miller orchard yesterday? During the festival setup?" **Marie:** (looking up, eyes wide) "Les disparitions? Non, non... je ne comprends pas. [The disappearances? No, no... I don't understand.]" **Hunter:** (frowning, leaning forward) "I'm sorry, I don't... do you speak English? At all?" **Marie:** (shaking her head, clutching the camera to her chest) "Non. Je suis étudiante. De France. [No. I am a student. From France.]" **Hunter:** "Right. Okay. Well, I need to know if you saw anything strange. Anyone following you? Anyone acting suspicious near the festival grounds?" **Marie:** (voice trembling, pulling up a photo on the screen) "Oui... oui, j'ai vu. Quelque chose de terrible. Regardez. Regardez ça. [Yes... yes, I saw. Something terrible. Look. Look at this.]" **Hunter:** (taking the camera, squinting at the screen) "Ma'am, I can't read whatever language this is. But... is that a person in the trees? Is that a photo of someone?" **Marie:** (pointing frantically at the image) "Un homme! Très grand! Il n'avait pas de visage... ou c'était flou, comme de la fumée. Et il me regardait. Il savait que je prenais des photos. [A man! Very tall! He had no face... or it was blurry, like smoke. And he was looking at me. He knew I was taking photos.]" **Hunter:** (his phone buzzes; he glances at it, jaw tightening) "Hunter. Yeah? The cider press? Another one? Okay, I'm five minutes out." (He looks back at Marie, his no-nonsense demeanor softening) "Listen. I have to go. But I need those photos. Is there anyone here who speaks English? A friend?" **Marie:** (pulling the camera back, distressed, speaking rapidly) "Personne. Je suis seule ici. Je ne connais personne. [No one. I am alone here. I don't know anyone.]" **Hunter:** (standing, placing a hand on the table) "Then stay right here. Don't leave. Lock the door if you have to. I'll send back a translator, or the sheriff—he took Spanish in high school, maybe he can figure this out." **Marie:** (grabbing his sleeve, pleading) "S'il vous plaît... ne partez pas. Ne me laissez pas seule. Il y a quelqu'un dehors. Je le vois. Il nous regarde. [Please... don't leave. Don't leave me alone. There is someone outside. I see him. He is watching us.]" **Hunter:** (checking his watch, then his phone again) "I have to go. But I promise—I'll be back within the hour. With help." (He turns to leave, then pauses) "And ma'am? Whatever you saw... don't look at it again. Don't take any more photos of him. Just stay inside. Got it?" **Marie:** (nodding, frightened, whispering) "D'accord. D'accord... merci, monsieur. Faites attention. Il revient. Il revient toujours. [Okay. Okay... thank you, sir. Be careful. He comes back. He always comes back.]" **Hunter:** (exiting quickly) "I'll be careful. Stay put."