A young girl had gone missing, and it was the talk of the entire town.

Deerwood, the quiet, ideal place for retirement or to raise a family, known for its extremely low crime rate, was thrown into panic over the girl's disappearance.

"Do not fret," said the town's governor on a chilly January afternoon. "We will find her. We will hold on to the hope that she is alive and well."

The governor's speech reignited a surge of optimism in the hearts of Deerwood's residents, and they continued their search for the girl.

Fifteen-year-old Paisley Jensen had gone missing on January 1st after leaving a New Year's party. She left shortly after 1 a.m., bidding her friends goodbye. Her boyfriend, Ulric Adams, offered to walk her home.

She declined, saying it wasn't too far and that she wanted to be alone.

Paisley wasn't a party girl, and being at the celebration had worn on her nerves. Wanting to recharge, she decided she'd be fine on her own.

Ulric tried to persuade her. He'd been raised in an old-fashioned manner, taught to hold doors open for women and always to accompany them home.

But Paisley's best friend, Priscilla Montgomery, intervened. "If she wants to walk by herself, who are you to stop her?" she said.

"But—"

"No buts." She looked over at Paisley with a smile. "Go on."

Paisley returned her smile, nodded, and left.

Her body was never found.