Convinced that Bear is still alive, his son — Paddy Dingle — cannot sit still.

Amidst the village turmoil, amid rumors and fears, Paddy quietly collects clues: strange straw tracks, footprints outside the farm, deleted text messages, rumors of “illegal parties,” the evasive eyes of a few familiar faces.

One cold night, Paddy leads a group of villagers — some skeptical, some confused, and a few old friends — to the abandoned farm.

They silently climb fences, wade through damp straw, sneak past empty barns, and walk slowly in the darkness. Flashlights in hand, hearts pounding, they call out: “Bear! Bear! If you can hear me — nod once!”

Silence. Wind whistles through the trees in the meadow, dry leaves rustle. Then, from behind the straw, comes a cough — faint. Bear appeared — gaunt, wild-eyed, legs shaking. Paddy rushed forward, hugged his father, and burst into tears. The onlookers stood still — scared, sorry, and angry.

Bear was quickly covered, put behind a truck, to avoid suspicious eyes. But the image — the Dingles in the straw and darkness — spread throughout the village. Sympathy on one side, horror on the other: if a sane man like Bear had been turned into a prisoner — who was safe?

No one spoke up right away. But Paddy, in his indignation, decided: they would report. Photos of the empty cage, the blood stains, straw on shoes, threatening messages — all were gathered. They were taken to the police station. Bear, shaking, was examined, his statement recorded. Sam, Lydia, Ray, Celia — all were under suspicion.

The Emmerdale community was suddenly awakened. The averted eyes, the closed doors, the evasive words — now they could no longer hide their fear. Everyone realized: today’s silence could be tomorrow’s crime. And Bear + Paddy — by regaining their freedom, woke the whole village from its slumber.