Part~3 The Ambush

Tuesday, March 15th. The breeze blows through Miss Crystal's blonde hair covering her smoldering blue eyes, but Mr. Wiley's gray hair is solid as a rock. He's dressed in a stylish Navy blue suit, sky blue tie, and pocket square with black loafers. Miss Crystal feels underdressed in her Khakis and pink Polo. 

Crystal shakes her head and asks. "I still don't see why we're doing this, Mr. Wiley?"

"Do you see myriad faces filing into the building, Miss Crystal?"

"Of course I do," then little Debbie Morris reaches for a hug. Miss Crystal gladly obliges. "Have a good day, sweetie."

"Miss Crystal, we are sworn to protect every child entrusted to us. We can't let a mentally disturbed young man like Sean Noble twist their mind with his beliefs. No matter how outlandish they are." His tone is dry and harsh.

"Outlandish! He's using this vision of Jesus to help cope with his Father's death. That's a lot for a ten-year-old, and I think you're making Mount Everest out of a molehill."

"I don't think you have the qualifications to make that decision, Miss Crystal. Fifty parents have voiced their concerns about having a child who sees Jesus in our school, and that's why Sean Noble is seeing Dr. Phillips. End of discussion."

"Well, it's against my wishes. I've already started a file on this situation with my reasons against it, and believe me, the board will hear about it."

"That's well within your rights. Now lower your voice, and you're alarming the children."

Miss Crystal sees Sean get off Bus #176 and says, "There's Sean. Let me talk to him first."

"Very well," Mr. Wiley replies in an arrogant tone.

Miss Crystal tucks her hair behind her ears, smiles, and says, "Good morning, Sean. I need you to come with me today."

In a panic, Sean spots Principal Wiley studying him and asks, "Am I in trouble? I can't think of anything I've done wrong."

"No, Sean," Miss Crystal tries to calm him. " Mr. Wiley wants you to meet his friend at nine this morning. I'm going to take you, and when you're done, I'll treat you to lunch at Wendy's."

"Can I get a Biggie Bag?"

"Absolutely."

"Deal," Sean grins and follows them into the building.

That afternoon around three-thirty, Dr. Riley Phillips, Principal Wiley, and Miss Crystal gathered around the conference table to discuss the matter of Sean Noble.

Mr. Wiley asks, "Dr. Phillips, what are your findings after seeing Sean?"

"Well, Sean is a bright and imaginative young man. But he could be deeply disturbed. So troubled, he created this imaginary Savior to help with his feelings and guilt. He spoke of the guilt the Mother had, which I believe is his. He may blame himself for his Father's death, leading to this problem."

Miss Crystal asks, "What problem, Dr. Phillips?"

He replies, "His blunt attitude and description of the person was so precise that I believe Sean created another character in his mind. He described his hair and beard, the touch of his fingers stroking his head, the glowing brown eyes, and the intricate blue threads embroidering his robe. Several other symptoms helped verify the diagnosis; Sean seemed disorganized in his thinking and actions. He had a lack of emotional response talking about the death of his Father, and now this delusion of seeing Jesus. There can only be one answer. Schizophrenia."

Miss Crystal rolls her eyes at the ceiling and asks, "Don't you think that's a bit of a reach, Dr. Phillips? Every child in this school is blunt, disorganized, and has a difficult time talking about issues involving them. Also, I can accurately describe the orange in my lunch box, but that doesn't bring it to life."

"And where did you get your Doctorate in Psychology, Miss Crystal?" Dr. Phillips glares at her.

"I take it you're not a Father, Dr. Phillips?"

"No, I am not."

"That explains a lot. Where's your common sense in this situation? Sean lived through his Father's burial two days ago, and he needs time to grieve, not labeled by a quack!"

"That's enough, Miss Crystal," Mr. Wiley shouts. "What do you recommend, Doctor Phillips?"

"I recommend that Sean be expelled from school until a complete evaluation can be performed. It should only take two weeks."

"So," Miss Crystal rubs her eyes, "You want to take away the only normal thing in his life right now, this school. Everything else has completely crumbled around him. There's no place at Sean's home that's not filled with his Father's memories to haunt him, and here is the only place he can find a little peace. If you expel him, you'll do Sean a great injustice that may take him years to overcome. It's up to you, Mr. Wiley."

"I'll sign the papers this afternoon. Will you give me the requirements for Sean's readmittance, Dr. Phillips?"

Miss Crystal slams her notebook shut, rises, and starts for the door.

"Where are you going, Miss Crystal? This meeting is not over." Mr. Wiley groans. 

"It is, for me. I'm going to write you a letter of resignation, clean out my desk, then go over to Diane Nobles' house to tell her what you're doing to her son. Hopefully, we can find a good lawyer to sue your butts off!" She smiles, saying, "Have a good evening."

That evening, Aunt Mary, Miss Crystal, and Diane Noble sip decaf coffee in Diane's spacious living room. The setting sun through the blinds casts an orange haze on their concerned faces. 

Diane breaks the silence. "I'm sorry you quit your job, Crystal."

"I'm not the only one to quit since Mr. Wiley took over. At least a third of last year's staff has resigned because of him, and the school board has noticed. When they meet this Thursday, I'll give them my report on Sean's dismissal."

Aunt Mary asks, "How did all of this start?"

"Well," Crystal shakes her head. "It started when Sean told his class that he had met Jesus. A classmate nicknamed, Tiny started the rumor on the bus ride home, and it spread quickly. Every kid has an iPhone, and schools are gossip factories. When a rumor gets rolling, it's all over in minutes. We've fought so hard against gossip and cyberbullying, all for nothing."

"It seems like Mr. Wiley has no compassion at all," Diane adds. "How did he become principal of a middle school?"

"Because he was such a great administrator at some massive school system in Texas. The superintendent thought we needed some fresh ideas to help us grow."

Aunt Mary asks, "What's next for Sean, Crystal?"

"He'll have to meet the requirements set up by Dr. Phillips to reenter school - unless Thursday's meeting changes things. I should have stayed at school to fight for Sean, then quit." Crystal sips her coffee.

"I can't send Sean away for two weeks, and we can't be apart now. What about moving to another town, Crystal?"

"That report will follow you when they call for Sean's records. I have a few lawyer friends to call in the morning, but we should wait until after the meeting. They say that religious persecution is coming, and it starts with our children."

"How do I explain this to Sean, Crystal? " Tears fall onto Diane's cheek, dripping off her chin. "He's a good kid who's done nothing wrong."

"I know," Crystal takes Diane's hand in hers. "But God is with you."

"That's what Sean says. But why is He sending all of this trouble on us?"

Aunt Mary asks, "Maybe that's why Jesus came to see Sean?" She shakes her head, saying, "He knew this persecution was coming, and we need to be on guard for the next wave."

"That makes it more apparent that we stay strong and together. Where is Sean, Diane?" Crystal asks.

"He's up in his room. I sure hope he hasn't heard us talking."

He heard every word through the air conditioner vent above them.

Part~4 The Response

Sean gets off the floor, then slowly crawls onto his bed. His mind is reeling again. 

I knew that Dr. Phillips was up to something. He kept asking me questions about my feelings after Dad's death. He was very curious about what Jesus looked like, and now Dr. Phillips says I'm nuts or insane. 

But I did see Jesus. I remember Him sitting right there and feeling his fingers on the back of my head - the blue trim on his robe. Jesus was here! They will never make me believe He wasn't.

I'll never let them take me away to some crazy people's place. If they do, the doctors will never let me out of there. Mom and Dad didn't know I secretly watched that "Cuckoos Nest" movie where that man was thrown in one of those places. Who wants to hear all that screaming and crying through the night? I don't want my brain fried. I'm not crazy!

There's only one choice. I'll have to run away. But where to? It will take a little planning, but I've got until morning.

~

Sean's phone buzzes him awake at three-thirty in the morning. He slowly wipes his eyes and sees all his preparations after Mom and Aunt Mary looked in on him. His backpack is full of clothes, shoes, and a sleeping bag with the popup tent Dad bought last Christmas strapped at the bottom. They were going to camp out in the backyard this summer, but not now.

He slowly opens his door and remembers there are two rooms to get by - his Mom's down the hall and Aunt Mary's beside the kitchen. Sean hopes to grab a box of cereal bars from the cabinet before leaving by the back door.

Sean lays his phone down on his bed. The message is set to play when Mom opens it in the morning. He can't take his phone with him, or they will be able to track him.

After shouldering his backpack, Sean grabs his Boone and Crockett hiking boots. They make too much noise inside, and he'll put them on outside. He can barely breathe, walking by Mom's room and quickly down the carpeted stairs. 

Sean steps on a magazine on the living room floor. He's hoping the sound didn't wake anyone. No one stirs, so he continues his silent journey. 

Once in the kitchen, Sean opened the cabinet, looking for his favorite chocolate-covered cereal bars, but all he found were the crunchy ones. They'll have to do. He quietly stuffs them inside his backpack and zips it up. 

When he glances around the kitchen, sadness falls on Sean, remembering the good times shared in this room. "Am I doing the right thing?" He whispers to himself, then answers, "If I stay, they'll put me away."

Sean searches for courage in his heart. He punches the code to turn the alarm off, then quietly opens and shuts the door. He slides his boots on and steps into the grass, saying, "The first steps in my new life, I think."

At six-thirty, Diane opens the door to Sean's room to wake him for breakfast. She's determined to keep their schedule besides what's going on.

A bolt of fear stabs her heart when she sees Sean's bed made up and his iPhone in the middle of the bed. Diane quickly opens his dresser, and most of his clothes are gone. She glances in the closet; his backpack, sleeping bag, and tent are also missing.

Diane's hand trembles reaching for Sean's phone. His saddened face fills the screen, and tears line Sean's green eyes, and Diane notices the grief-stricken lines around his eyes. Those few freckles on his cheeks and crinkled nose remind her of Doug. 

She gently taps play on the screen. "Hi, Mom. I heard all of you talking in the living room last night through the a/c vent in my room. I don't understand why Dr. Phillips wants to put me away because I saw Jesus. Does anybody believe me? Do you?" Tears begin to fall down his cheek. "I don't want to be put away like some maniac which leaves me no choice but to run away. I love you, Mom. But I can't stay." Sean's finger taps the phone to stop recording.

Diane drops the phone and collapses to the floor.