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Ray and Ace had left a half hour ago and Autumn cleaned up from their visit. Chrissy whimpered at the back door. Autumn opened it, and Chrissy ran into the dark. She continued cleaning up. A few minutes went by and then too many more minutes. Autumn opened the door and called for Chrissy. She did not come.
Panicked, Autumn ran into the yard and called Chrissy. Nothing. Her heart pounded. Hyperventilating, she searched every corner of the yard. No sign of her. A half-hour went by. She called Steve and Julie in case Chrissy escaped to visit Mickey or Teddy. They had not seen her.
There came whimpering at the front door. Autumn flung it open. Chrissy lay on the front step, encased in a thin blanket bound tightly with twine, her little legs pinned to her body. She cried, unable to move
