The Man in the White Coat

Chapter 4

This is a flashback before Noah showed up at the hospital to see Claire.

**

Chapter 4

(Flashback)

Noah didn't think his dad would say yes. He thought he would turn him down the moment the idea left his mouth. His dad denied him at first, but he strongly thought about it. Noah was glad he said yes. From day one, all Noah wanted to do was protect Claire. It was his job to make sure she was safe. With his bright idea, she surely would be.

Wyatt led his son into a hall that Noah has never been down before. The hall wasn't lit very well, but it wasn't completely dark. The hall was a lot different from the rest of the realm and it made Noah wonder why the hall was so different from everywhere else.

Wyatt told his son that there were some things that they had to go over before he sent his son to the forbidden place. Besides, he needed to buy himself some time before he told his wife about Noah's decision.

Wyatt stopped walking and turned toward a door on the right side. He pulled out a key and unlocked the door. "His name was Mark," Wyatt said while walking into the room that didn't match the look of hallway. The room had windows that reached up to the ceiling and down to the floor and the brightness of the moonlight illuminated the entire room. "He was twenty-three when he died. Mark was a lot older than me. I was only ten when it all happened."

"How did it happen?," Noah asked.

Wyatt walked to the far-left corner of the room to open up a closet door. "Things are not like they are here down there, Noah. Bad things happen down there every day." Wyatt pulled out a box and brought it over to the table where Noah was standing beside and set it down.

"From the stories that my father has told me, Mark got caught in all of the problems and issues down on Earth. He wanted to protect his being just like you want to, but Mark was just too wrapped into the life of the beings." Wyatt started to open the box and said, "He ran into some trouble and ended getting himself killed. I don't want the same thing to happen to you Noah."

Noah looked at his dad, "It won't, dad."

Wyatt could see the sincerity in his son's eyes, "I know it won't, Noah." Wyatt removed a book out of the box set it on the table and opened it up. "This is as far as we have gotten on researching the demon."

Noah started to examine the page, "I thought we didn't know anything about him."

"I know some people who can get me what I want. I've been putting this together for awhile now. I knew this day would come when you would want to step up. I know it's a lot, but this is a pretty big situation."

Noah saw that the book was full of information about the demon. He flipped through the pages and saw that everything he needed to know about the mysterious person that put Claire in danger. "Is this everything I need to know?"

"For now it is but if I find anything else, I'll let you know." Wyatt went into the box and took out a cell phone and handed it over to Noah. "This will be a good way for me to keep in contact with you and for you to call me if you need anything."

Wyatt could see that his son was feeling a little overwhelmed, "You're going to be fine, Noah. You aren't nervous are you?"

Noah looked at his dad, "No I'm not. I know what I need to do."

Wyatt shook his head and said, "Good." He looked off into the distance and said, "Now, the hard part is telling your mother."

**

Beth was searching everywhere for Noah and Wyatt but could not find them anywhere. She noticed Joshua walking and caught up to him. "Hey Joshua, have you seen Wyatt or Noah?"

"No, but Noah and I were supposed to meet up with another group. Turns out he couldn't make it, as always," Joshua said.

"I guess you haven't heard about what happened."

"No I haven't. What did I miss?"

"Noah's person was attacked today. I can't find them anywhere."

"Well, that would explain why he didn't show up." Joshua noticed Noah and Wyatt walking toward him and Beth. "There they are," Joshua said motioning toward them.

"Hey, I've been looking for you guys everywhere. I heard about what happened," Beth said worriedly.

Wyatt looked at Noah and then back at Beth. "That's what we need to talk about. Why don't we go into my office and talk?"

Beth and Wyatt started walking and Noah turned to face Joshua and said, "Looks like that tight leash just got a lot looser."

Joshua smiled at Noah and Noah caught up with his parents. The three of them walked into Wyatt's office. Beth looked at Wyatt and asked, "How is Claire?"

"She's in good hands now. She has been through a lot but I doubt she will remember anything that happened tonight," Noah said.

Beth looked at Wyatt, "So, what's next?"

Wyatt walked closely to his wife, thinking of the best way to phrase his next few sentences. "The issue with the demon has gotten to be very serious over the last several years. I couldn't think of any other way to handle this situation. However, Noah did come across a great idea." Wyatt turned to Noah and back to Beth.

Wyatt told Beth about Noah's plan. Noah watched from behind as his mom alternated look back and forth to Noah and Wyatt. Noah has never seen his mom so speechless before. Wyatt told the whole story from beginning to end, carefully explaining that Noah's plan was indeed the best plan.

There was a long pause after Wyatt finished. Noah figured that his mom needed time to process all of the information she had just received. "For how long?," was all Beth could manage to say.

Wyatt was confused by the question. He thought that she would be more upset. "Do you mean, how long will he be down there?" Beth nodded and walked closer to her son. "Just until we get the situation under control and Claire is safe. So, it could be for a while."

Noah saw the apprehension in his mother's face. "I know what I'm doing mom. I promise you that I will be okay," Noah said trying to reassure his mom.

"I told him about Mark. He knows what he is up against," Wyatt said from behind.

Beth turned to look at Wyatt. "Does he really, Wyatt. Things have changed since then. They have gotten worse, and now we are up against an invisible demon. How are we going to warn him if it shows up again, if we don't even see it coming?"

"Noah's instincts are good. Beth, we have trained him for this moment. I promise you he is ready. All we can do is trust that he will be ok."

Wyatt and Beth both turned to Noah. Noah walked closer to them, "I'm ready."