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One day in early autumn, when the leaves where turning from green to brilliant colors of orange, red and yellow, Megan took the children on a special picnic with two other adults. Each child had a "hiking buddy", and try as she might to let Natasha choose a buddy, the little girl refused. So the Nathaniel and Brian and Anna and Jamie were paired up, and Megan let Natasha walk with her. While Natasha still didn't seem to like anyone very much at all, she allowed Megan to engage in activities with her, somewhat willingly.
After lunch, the children began playing a game of hide and seek. Each pair of children hid, laughing hysterically, while Megan tried to engage Natasha in counting with her. She couldn't hear her counting, but she guessed she was just being uncooperative. When Megan looked up. Natasha was gone.

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