As Laura walks along, she feels her stomach rumble with hunger. She hasn’t eaten since her “dinner” the night before. If she wants to make it to the magic shop, she’ll need something to eat. She decides to keep an eye out for food during her walk. Hopefully, an opportunity will present itself.
Laura is walking past a park when she sees such an opportunity. It looks like there’s some sort of company picnic happening. Adults and children mingle, lining up to get something to eat from trestle tables set up full of food. There’s the chance that someone will realize Laura’s not meant to be there. Her stomach growls again. But she can’t continue on this hungry.
Laura goes over to the park and mingles in with the crowd. No one bats an eye as she walks up to the tables and grabs a plate. Though an adult does insist on putting food on her plate for her. Once her plate is full, Laura spots a group of children her current age sitting on the ground. She’ll be less likely to be discovered if she blends in, so she toddles over to them to eat her meal.
While Laura eats her meal messily, she looks around, trying to figure out what sort of company is hosting this picnic. Her heart sinks as she recognizes one, then two, then three, then even more people. Her suspicions are confirmed when her coworker Liz comes over to the group of toddlers with her three-year-old son, who sits next to Laura.
This isn’t just any company picnic. It’s the company picnic thrown by Laura’s work.
Laura quickly finishes her meal and stands up, ready to leave before something bad happens.