Four girls named Aria, Emily, Hanna, and Spencer were all in a barn drinking and having fun. Only their two other best friends seemed to be missing. Suddenly, the lights and the music cut off, and the girls looked around, turning on flashlights, with a little bit of fear creeping into their bodies.

"What happened?" Emily asked, her voice tinged with worry.

"It must be the storm." Spencer replied with a laugh, lighting up some candles. But the smile quickly faded when a rattling sound was heard from outside the barn.

"Something's out there." Aria whispered, her voice low but tense. The door to the barn suddenly creaked open, making the girls turn around. But no one was there.

"Guys..." Hanna said, her voice shaky. All the girls got up, exchanging anxious looks. They slowly moved toward the door, and just as they were about to investigate, they heard something like glass breaking.

They got even closer to the door when, out of nowhere, Alison and Florence jumped inside from either side. "Gotcha!" They yelled together, making the other girls scream in shock.

"That's so not funny!" Spencer said, still catching her breath from the surprise.

"I thought it was hilarious." Alison said, chuckling as Florence joined in, her laugh light but a bit more intense than usual. "Didn't you, Flo?"

Florence smiled, her eyes bright with mischief. "Absolutely." She said, her voice carrying a playful edge. They all sat down, the atmosphere lighter now that the tension of someone being out there had broken.

Florence smiled, her eyes bright with mischief, but there was something a little off about the way she moved.  "Absolutely." She said, her words slightly drawn out, a playful edge to her voice, but there was also a laziness to it, like she wasn't entirely aware of what was going on around her.

"Ali, Flo, did you download the new Beyoncé?" Hanna asked, trying to get back to normal conversation.

"Not yet." Florence replied, shaking her head with a smile. Alison did the same, her expression playful.

"I'm loving her new video." Emily said, with excitement in her voice.

"Maybe a little too much, Em," Alison teased, her eyes gleaming as she passed a glass to Aria. "Your turn. Go on." Aria took a long drink without hesitation.

"Careful, Aria." Spencer warned, a smirk on her face. "Take too much, and you'll tell us all your secrets."

"Friends share secrets." Alison said, her gaze meeting Florence's before glancing back at the group. "That's what keeps us close."

Florence chuckled softly, looking at Alison with a fond but somewhat distant look, as if there was more between them than they let on.

"Drink up." Florence added, a bit more relaxed now.

The night went on, filled with laughter and good times, until the girls eventually fell asleep in the cozy barn. Florence's energy had been oddly erratic. She seemed to find everything extra funny, giggling to herself for a few moments even when no one else was laughing. Her fingers idly traced the rim of her glass, her focus seeming to drift in and out as she joined the conversation, but only when someone called her name.

The next morning, at 4 A.M., Aria woke up to the sound of the others stirring. Emily and Hanna were still asleep, but Spencer, Florence, and Alison seemed to be missing.

"Where's Flo and Ali and Spencer?" Hanna asked groggily, sitting up and noticing the absence.

"We don't know." Emily replied, her voice quieter now that the fun from the night before had faded. They all stood up, a sense of unease creeping in.

Just then, Spencer and Florence arrived, but there was no sign of Alison with them. The three girls inside the barn were hoping that the DiLaurentis girl wouldn't surprise them again like last night.

"Ali?" Aria asked, looking to Spencer.

"She's gone." Spencer said, confusion and fear in her eyes. Florence's face, however, was full of worry.

"What do you mean she's gone?" Aria asked, her heart pounding.

"We've looked everywhere for her." Spencer explained, shaking her head. "I think I heard her scream."

The words sent a chill through the group. Alison DiLaurentis had vanished, without a trace.

And with that, Alison was gone. Not to be heard or seen by anyone until one year later.