Should Have Known Better (Needlephobia)

Setting: Sidney’s ER Room for Patients
“Needlephobia” Overture sounds, followed by the opening of the curtain.
JONATHAN is still strapped down to the chair. SIDNEY is standing over him, right where we had left off. (If this is where a break or intermission is placed…)
(OR)
Continue from the blackout, lights come back up on C.S.
SIDNEY sets the syringe back down on the small table, beside the chair. He pats JONATHAN’S lifeless head and walks off to left stage.
There is a moment or two, before JONATHAN recovers, blinking awake, drugged. He appears much more relaxed and at peace.

JONATHAN
I GAVE UP TRYING
NO USE IN LYING
ANOTHER BROKEN PROMISE
ANOTHER BOND DEMOLISHED

WILL I EVER GIVE A DAMN
ABOUT ANYONE OR ANYTHING
DAY BY DAY LIVE IN DENIAL
THE NEEDLE IS REALITY

WEIGHTLESS,
PAINLESS,
NUMBNESS,
SHAMELESS

LYING ON THE FLOOR
I DON'T EVEN CARE
FEELING SO USELESS
ONLY ONE THING WILL FIX THIS
VEINS ARE FLOWING WITH MY SOLUTION
PICTURING DEATH FOR INSPIRATION
SET ME FREE
OH WHAT A FEELING AS IT ENTERS MY SKIN
TAKING ME BACK BEFORE
THE LIFE FILLED WITH SIN

WEIGHTLESS,
PAINLESS,
NUMBNESS,
SHAMELESS

I'LL SHOW YOU THE WORLD WHEN I'M THE HAND OF GOD
I'LL GIVE YOU EVERYTHING YOU NEED
I'LL MAKE ALL OF YOUR DREAMS COME TRUE
I'LL TAKE AWAY ALL YOUR MISERY
I'LL ANSWER ALL OF YOUR PRAYERS
I'LL FILL YOU WITH HOPE
I'LL FEED YOU WHEN YOU'RE HUNGRY
I'LL BE THE ONE TO HELP YOU COPE

WEIGHTLESS,
NUMBNESS,
PAINLESS,
SHAMELESS
NEEDLE!

I LOOKED BACK ONCE
AND ALL I SAW WAS HIS FACE
SMILING, THE NEEDLE CRYING
WALKING OUT OF HIS ROOM
WITH MIRRORS, AFRAID I HEARD HIM SCREAM
YOU’LL NEVER GET AWAY

COLD AND SHAKING
I CRAWLED DOWN ALLEYS TO TRY
AND SCRAPE AWAY THE TRACKS THAT MARKED ME
SLAMMED MY FACE INTO WALLS OF CONCRETE
I STARED, AMAZED AT THE WORDS
WRITTEN ON THE WALL

DONT EVER TRUST
DONT EVER TRUST THE NEEDLE, IT LIES
DONT EVER TRUST
DONT EVER TRUST THE NEEDLE WHEN IT CRIES...
CRIES YOUR NAME

WET AND RAVING
THE NEEDLE KEEPS CALLING ME BACK
TO BLOODY MY HANDS FOREVER
CARVED MY CURE WITH THE BLADE
THAT LEFT ME IN SCARS
NOW EVERY TIME IM WEAK
WORDS SCREAM FROM MY ARM

I LOOKED BACK ONCE
AND ALL I SAW WAS HIS FACE
SMILING, THE NEEDLE CRYING
WALKING OUT OF HIS ROOM
WITH MIRRORS, AFRAID I HEARD HIM SCREAM

YOU'LL NEVER GET AWAY
COLD AND SHAKING
I CRAWLED DOWN ALLEYS TO TRY
TO SCRAPE AWAY THE TRACKS THAT MARKED ME
SLAMMED MY FACE INTO WALLS OF CONCRETE
I STARED, AMAZED AT THE WORDS
WRITTEN ON THE WALL

DON'T EVER TRUST
DON'T EVER TRUST THE NEEDLE, IT LIES
DON'T EVER TRUST
DON'T EVER TRUST THE NEEDLE
WHEN IT CRIES, CRIES YOUR NAME

WET AND RAVING
THE NEEDLE KEEPS CALLING ME BACK
TO BLOODY MY HANDS FOREVER
CARVED MY CURE WITH THE BLADE
THAT LEFT ME IN SCARS
NOW EVERY TIME I'M WEAK
WORDS SCREAM FROM MY ARM

DONT EVER TRUST
DONT EVER TRUST THE NEEDLE, IT LIES
DONT EVER TRUST
DONT EVER TRUST THE NEEDLE WHEN IT CRIES...
CRIES YOUR NAME
DONT EVER TRUST
DONT EVER TRUST THE NEEDLE, IT LIES
DONT EVER TRUST
DONT EVER TRUST THE NEEDLE WHEN IT CRIES...
CRIES YOUR NAME

(JONATHAN closes his eyes once more. He falls back into unconsciousness.)

(Enter PATRICK from R.S. He peers out cautiously. He spots JONATHAN and carefully sneaks out, heading up to him.)

PATRICK
Jonathan!? What is going on? What did that mad bastard do to you?

(PATRICK goes to check JONATHAN’s pulse, but flinches and pulls back at once. PATRICK pauses in place, as SIDNEY enters from L.S. once more. He is carrying a large bag full of liquid. He halts, catching sight of PATRICK.)

SIDNEY
Patrick, my dear boy, what are you doing back here?

PATRICK
Sidney Crosby, you sinister man, what did you do to him?

SIDNEY
I was given orders. I’m trying to help him!

PATRICK
Bull!

SIDNEY
Oh come now, you can’t still be mad at my mistake?!

PATRICK
I put my life in your hands! I don’t trust any doctor like you anymore!

SIDNEY
So I screwed up with your health pills…

PATRICK
You could have killed me! Instead I got Merinthophobia!

SIDNEY
I understand…

(SIDNEY slowly reaches into his lab coat for a fresh syringe filled with the liquid drug. PATRICK turns from the chair and JONATHAN.)

PATRICK
Do you understand, Sidney? Do you? I think you aren’t sorry. I think there was something more behind my Merinthophpbic plan.

SIDNEY
I swear I had no idea…

PATRICK
I’m here to rescue Jonathan, as I think you have a plan for him as well. And then you are going to change us both back to normal and get rid of our phobias!

SIDNEY
Alright…

(SIDNEY whips out the syringe and snatches PATRICK’S arm. PATRICK is taken by surprise, but before he can react, SIDNEY sticks the needle into his skin. Now PATRICK falls to the stage, unconscious. SIDNEY sighs and drags PATRICK over to a chair. He sits him in the chair, binding his wrists down to the arms.)

SIDNEY
I’m sorry, Patrick, it wasn’t supposed to come to this.

(PATRICK is limp in the chair, as SIDNEY turns back to his original work with the bag. A few more seconds pass, before PATRICK blinks awake. SIDNEY has finished his work and slowly rotates around to right stage, where PATRICK is tied down to the chair.)

PATRICK
What the heck? You have a lot of explaining to do Doctor!

SIDNEY
Are you sure? I think you already know who I am, brave one!

PATRICK
You aren’t going to help him with his fear; you are going to encourage it! I do KNOW you!

SIDNEY
I suggest you shut up, or I’ll knock you out again with the syringe liquid!

PATRICK
I don’t think you want to do that!

SIDNEY
And why ever not, please explain to me, why not!?

PATRICK
I think you can figure that one out! You’re smart, aren’t you Doc?

SIDNEY
Don’t be sarcastic with me!

PATRICK
Then why don’t you release me!

SIDNEY
No! I have orders!

PATRICK
Oh from whom, your imaginary friend?! Ha!

SIDNEY
No, actually from----

LINDSAY
(entering)
Me!

PATRICK
Lindsay! You are the one! It was you all along!

LINDSAY
Yes, it was me! I never really liked your attitude, Patrick. Oh by the way, you may want to shut your trap and look down!

PATRICK
(slowly looking down)
What do you mean----ah! You know I’m a Merinthophobic----ah! Get these damn restraints off of me! Someone, help me!!

LINDSAY
Heh-heh…it was simple to render you powerless, just like I tricked you into this before.

PATRICK
I was naïve! I was sick! My family wanted me to get well, they sent me to the doctor—to Sidney and I was supposed to get well…instead I end up getting worse and I end up with the fear of ropes!

SIDNEY
Right, I was in training during that time!

LINDSAY
But don’t get me wrong, you did get your health fixed!

PATRICK
For a stupid phobia experiment, yes!

LINDSAY
(sliding up to PATRICK, and caressing him with her fingers)
Aw, it isn’t that bad, just a few harmless ropes! That’s all…

PATRICK
Easy for you, you don’t have the phobia!

LINDSAY
You’re wrong.

PATRICK
You don’t know what I’m feeling!

LINDSAY
Well, I’m going to have to kill you.

PATRICK
Wait, but I followed everything you said.

LINDSAY
Not quite.

PATRICK
What do you mean?

SIDNEY
She never mentioned anything about finding Jonathan and rescuing him.

PATRICK
Oh come on!

LINDSAY and SIDNEY
How far are you willing to go?

(Stage fades to black.)

Notes