Run: 2026-10-08-01M4DA3HSVV7KN66D63W81RWD3

**VOICE SHEET** **Scene: Café on Main Street, Alborn, MN** **Afternoon, two days after the Apple Festival** Melanie: "Entschuldigung, ich... ich habe die Bilder schon dreimal angesehen. Er stand genau dort, zwischen den Apfelbäumen." *(Excuse me, I've looked at the pictures three times already. He was standing right there, between the apple trees.)* Hunter: "Sorry, I don't speak... Do you speak English? I'm Detective Hunter. I'm looking into what happened at the orchard on Sunday." Melanie: "Ich verstehe Sie nicht. Bitte, ich kann kein Englisch. Ich bin erst seit drei Wochen hier." *(I don't understand you. Please, I can't speak English. I've only been here three weeks.)* Hunter: *(pauses, looks at her camera)* "Okay. Okay. That's... a problem. Hold on." Melanie: "Das ist kein Problem für mich. Es ist ein Problem für die Menschen, die verschwunden sind. Sie haben alle nach dem Fest verschwunden, verstehen Sie?" *(That's not a problem for me. It's a problem for the people who disappeared. They all vanished after the festival, do you understand?)* Hunter: "Disappeared. Yeah. Three people so far. You said something about the orchard?" Melanie: "Ja, der Orchard. Ich habe ihn fotografiert, um den Sonnenuntergang festzuhalten. Und im Hintergrund war jemand. Ein Mann mit einer Laterne. Er hat... er hat mich angesehen, und dann war er weg." *(Yes, the orchard. I photographed it to capture the sunset. And in the background there was someone. A man with a lantern. He looked at me, and then he was gone.)* Hunter: *(leaning in, squinting at the screen)* "Wait. Is that him? Can you go back? Swipe... there. Hold it there." Melanie: "Was meinen Sie? Ach so. Hier. Das Bild ist vom Sonntag, 21:14 Uhr." *(What do you mean? Oh, I see. Here. The picture is from Sunday, 9:14 p.m.)* Hunter: "Nine-fourteen. Right. Can you make that bigger? Thanks... Okay, that's a lantern, all right. Could be a figure. Could be a tree stump, honestly." Melanie: "Es ist kein Baumstumpf. Ich weiß, wie ein Baumstumpf aussieht. Ich fotografiere seit zwölf Jahren. Ich habe ihn gesehen." *(It's not a tree stump. I know what a tree stump looks like. I've been photographing for twelve years. I saw him.)* Hunter: *(sighs, then, slowly, as if speaking to a child)* "Okay. I believe you saw something. That's what I'm here for. You're shaking, you know that? Here, do you want some water?" Melanie: "Danke. Ich bin nicht sicher, ob ich Ihnen vertrauen kann. Aber Sie sind der Einzige, der überhaupt fragt." *(Thank you. I'm not sure I can trust you. But you're the only one who's even asking.)* Hunter: "Trust me. Yeah. Well, I'll take that. Can you write it down for me? Names, times, anything you remember. Use that translation app on your phone if you have to." Melanie: *(typing, then reading aloud in German)* "Sonntag, 21:14 Uhr. Apfelhain, Nordseite. Mann mit Laterne. Groß. Hut." *(Sunday, 9:14 p.m. Apple grove, north side. Man with lantern. Tall. Hat.)* Hunter: *(reading the translated text on her screen)* "Tall. Hat. Okay, that's something. That's a real lead, Melanie. Thank you." Melanie: "Gern geschehen. Sie sehen müde aus, Herr Hunter." *(You're welcome. You look tired, Mr. Hunter.)* Hunter: "Yeah, well. Long week. Hey, listen, I'm going to need you to stay in town for a few more days, okay? Don't go walking out to the orchard alone." Melanie: "Ich gehe nirgendwo allein hin. Aber ich werde es Ihnen zeigen, wenn ich etwas Neues finde." *(I won't go anywhere alone. But I'll show you if I find anything new.)* *(Hunter's phone buzzes. He glances at the screen and stands abruptly.)* Hunter: "That's the station. I have to go. Here's my card. Call me, any time, day or night. Use the app, send me the photos, all of them." Melanie: "Warten Sie. Das Bild mit dem Mann... Ich schicke es Ihnen gleich. Passen Sie auf sich auf, Herr Hunter." *(Wait. The picture of the man... I'll send it to you right away. Take care of yourself, Mr. Hunter.)* Hunter: *(already moving toward the door, pausing)* "Melanie. Whatever you just said, I'm pretty sure it was nice. Thanks for talking to me." Melanie: "Bitte. Und Herr Hunter? Er hat mich angelächelt. Ich glaube, er wusste, dass ich ein Foto mache." *(Please. And Mr. Hunter? He smiled at me. I think he knew I was taking a picture.)* Hunter: *(stops, turns back, and his expression hardens)* "...Yeah. I'm going to need that photo." *(Hunter exits. Melanie looks down at her camera, then at the door.)* **END SCENE**