Run: 2026-10-08-01M4DADM88GR9WXF1HK6XYVXHR

**Voice Sheet: Scene 1, The Café on Main Street** *Setting: A small outdoor café in Alborn, MN. Late afternoon. Maria sits alone at a corner table, camera in her lap, scrolling through photos with a furrowed brow. Hunter approaches, notebook in hand.* **Hunter:** Excuse me, miss. Are you Maria Lopez? I'm Detective Hunter, with the Alborn Police. Mind if I ask you a few questions about Tuesday night? **Maria:** *(shaken, in Spanish)* Lo siento, no entiendo. ¿Usted es policía? Yo... yo estaba en el lago. Vi las luces otra vez. No sé qué pasó con ellos. **Hunter:** *(pausing, confused)* I'm sorry, I didn't catch that. Do you speak English? **Maria:** *(in Spanish, voice trembling)* Perdón. Estoy muy asustada. Ayer una señora del festival de las manzanas también desapareció. Y las fotos... mira. *(She turns the camera screen toward him, her hand unsteady.)* Hay una figura en el agua. Siempre aparece en la misma hora. **Hunter:** *(leaning in, studying the screen)* Okay. I can see the picture, but I don't... *(he taps the notebook)* Look, I need you to slow down. Was this taken at the lake? Tuesday? **Maria:** *(in Spanish, nodding quickly)* Sí, el martes. A las once. Tomé diez fotos y en todas está la luz. Y luego el sonido, como si alguien llamara un nombre. No quiero volver allí. **Hunter:** *(sighing, rubbing his jaw)* Right. Well, you're not in trouble. I just need to know what you saw. *(He gestures toward the camera.)* Can you send me those photos? **Maria:** *(in Spanish, hesitant)* ¿Me está pidiendo las fotos? Yo no sé si puedo confiar en usted. Usted no habla mi idioma. ¿Cómo sé que me va a entender? **Hunter:** *(half-smiling, tired)* Honestly? You've got a point. I don't speak a word of Spanish. But I can listen, and I can write things down. *(He flips to a fresh page.)* So let's try. Lake. Eleven o'clock. Lights. Got it? **Maria:** *(in Spanish, a faint, grateful smile)* Lago. Once. Luces. Sí... eso es. Usted escucha. *(She pauses, then speaks more quietly.)* Mi amiga Ana dice que el pueblo está maldito. Yo creo que ella tiene razón. **Hunter:** *(glancing up sharply)* Ana. Is that your friend from the program? Ana...? *(He writes the name down, then catches a shaky breath.)* Okay. Let's get her contact info too. *(His phone buzzes. He checks the screen, and his expression hardens.)* **Hunter:** Sorry, I have to take this. *(into phone)* Hunter. ...Yeah. ...Where? ...Give me ten minutes. *(He hangs up and turns back to Maria, pulling a business card from his jacket and sliding it across the table.)* **Hunter:** I have to go. Something's come up at the station. Here's my number. Don't go back to the lake alone, and send me those photos tonight. *(He pauses, then points at the card.)* Detective Hunter. Call me. *(He taps his chest.)* Hunter. Okay? **Maria:** *(in Spanish, softly)* Gracias, detective. Tendré cuidado. *(She picks up her camera and holds it close.)* **Hunter:** *(already walking away, muttering)* Yeah. Be careful. Everybody in this town needs to be careful. *(Blackout.)* --- *Translator's note for the cast: Maria's lines are in Spanish. Hunter should respond with no comprehension beyond the words "lago" and "Ana," which he should pronounce with clear effort. Maria's gestures should carry the emotional weight of her lines.*