Run: 2026-10-08-01M4DAM2DB7AGC98G9P7JDMKZ1

**VOICE SHEET** **Scene: The Corner Café, Alborn, MN** **Morning, two days after the disappearance of Anna Reyes from the apple orchard** --- **Melanie:** "Entschuldigung, ich... ich verstehe nicht, warum Sie das fragen. Ich habe nichts Schlimmes gesehen. Ich schwöre es." *[Excuse me, I... I don't understand why you're asking. I didn't see anything bad. I swear it.]* **Hunter:** "Ma'am, I'm Detective Hunter. I'm asking about the orchard on Route 9, Friday night. You were out there with your camera. Anything you saw could matter." **Melanie:** "Bitte, sprechen Sie langsamer. Ich... ich kann kein Englisch. Ich bin nur hier für das Studienprogramm." *[Please, speak more slowly. I... I can't speak English. I'm only here for the study program.]* **Hunter:** "Okay. Slower. Your camera. You took pictures out there, right?" **Melanie:** "Die Kamera... ja. Sie ist alles, was ich habe. Ich habe Fotos vom Sonnenuntergang gemacht, und dann..." *(She turns the camera over in her hands, her fingers trembling.)* "Dann war da ein Mann. Er trug einen Mantel, obwohl es warm war. Er hat Anna angesehen. Und dann war sie weg." *[The camera... yes. It's all I have. I took photos of the sunset, and then... then there was a man. He wore a coat, though it was warm. He was looking at Anna. And then she was gone.]* **Hunter:** *(leaning forward, frowning)* "Hold on. A man in a coat. You're telling me you saw him. Did you get a face?" **Melanie:** "Ich... ich weiß es nicht. Ich habe nicht genau hingeschaut. Ich dachte, er sei ein Fotograf wie ich. Ich wollte ihn nicht stören." *(Her voice cracks.)* "Ich hätte etwas sagen sollen. Ich hätte etwas tun sollen." *[I... I don't know. I didn't look closely. I thought he was a photographer like me. I didn't want to disturb him. I should have said something. I should have done something.]* **Hunter:** *(pausing, rubbing the back of his neck)* "Hey. Hey, look at me. Nobody's blaming you. I've been doing this a long time, and people freeze up when something bad happens. Can you show me the photos? Maybe the camera caught more than you did." **Melanie:** *(hesitating, then nodding slowly)* "Ja. Ja, okay. Warten Sie. Ich zeige es Ihnen." *(She powers on the camera and scrolls with careful, deliberate motions.)* "Hier. Sehen Sie? Der Sonnenuntergang. Und hier, im Hintergrund... das ist der Mann." *[Yes. Yes, okay. Wait. I'll show you. Here. See? The sunset. And here, in the background... that's the man.]* **Hunter:** *(squinting at the small screen, then at her)* "I see a blur, and a shape. That's all I got. I need you to tell me everything in your own words. Take your time." **Melanie:** *(taking a shaky breath)* "Er war groß. Sehr groß. Und er hatte..." *(She gestures to her own wrist, then stops.)* "Ich weiß nicht, wie ich es auf Englisch sagen soll. Es tut mir leid." *[He was tall. Very tall. And he had... I don't know how to say it in English. I'm sorry.]* **Hunter:** "Don't apologize. We'll get you someone who speaks German. Can you draw it for me? Just the wrist, whatever you saw?" **Melanie:** *(nodding, reaching for a napkin and a pen)* "Ja. Ich kann zeichnen. Einen Moment." *[Yes. I can draw. One moment.]* *(Hunter's phone buzzes. He glances at the screen, and his expression hardens.)* **Hunter:** "Damn it. I have to take this. Stay right here, okay? Don't go back out there alone." **Melanie:** *(looking up, alarmed, speaking rapidly in German)* "Warten Sie! Bitte gehen Sie nicht. Er könnte immer noch dort sein. Er hat mich gesehen, ich weiß es. Ich habe gesehen, wie er zu mir herübergeschaut hat." *[Wait! Please don't go. He could still be there. He saw me, I know he did. I saw him looking over at me.]* **Hunter:** *(stopping, stiffening, and studying her face)* "I don't know what you just said, but I can tell it's bad. Listen. Stay in public, keep the camera on you, and keep that drawing. I'll have a German interpreter here within the hour. You hear me? Within the hour." **Melanie:** *(quietly, to herself, in German)* "Er hat mich gesehen. Ich weiß es." *[He saw me. I know it.]* **Hunter:** *(already walking toward the door, phone pressed to his ear)* "Yeah, this is Hunter. What've you got?... Where?... Give me ten minutes." *(He exits. Melanie stares at the door, then looks down at her camera and the half-finished sketch of a wrist.)* **Melanie:** *(whispering)* "Ich muss es ihm sagen. Aber wie?" *[I have to tell him. But how?]* **END OF SCENE**