======Philip Mackenzie======

Madeline is gone. Philip is determined to find her, especially since she’s family. He runs from walking group to walking group, but he doesn’t see Madeline among any of them. He sends Bridgit with Skipper to go back to the groups to investigate, telling her he surely must have missed something and to go on since he and Madeline will catch up and wouldn’t want to slow everyone else down. If Philip is going to risk his life looking for Madeline, he can’t put his mother and dog in danger too. 

Philip walks quickly downhill, back the way all of them came, slipping several times in the mud whilst doing so. The lantern he is holding flickers, its light wavering over the ground. There are so many sets of footprints, and the unrelenting rain has washed them so thoroughly, that Philip cannot tell which ones indicate that someone has gone the opposite direction towards the floodwaters. There is no sign of anyone, or anything other than just him and the rainfall.  

Philip stops and wipes his weather-beaten face, too sorrowful to walk now. Madeline is dead. He could have done something. She had been so ill. He should have been paying more attention. 

He messes up everything. First Ethel, and now this. No one will ever love him. All he wants now is to be out of the mud and rain but doesn’t know where to go. His lantern was running out. Would he die here too? 

Wait, his beloved compass! Philip navigates his way to the boats, sure all the boats that were there have left for Leeds by now. His lantern dies, but the warmth and positive feelings he gets from the compass gives him a small amount of comfort. He can hear the river flowing. As he approaches the river, Philip remembers his role in evacuation and saving Skipper. He wasn’t a complete failure. So many people and a dog were alive because of him. Philip can’t help but think if only Madeline was one of them. 

He nears the riverbank, hoping to follow the river to the next port, when he sees the telltale outline of a boat, illuminated by a lantern. There is Brigit, alone with Skipper, waiting nearby. He can just about make out the rapid movements of Skipper’s wagging tail. 

Philip beams. He decides that he’ll stay in Leeds with his family after all. They clearly think he is worth waiting a long time for.  

And he hopes that one day, Ethel will too.