The Devil’s Trap

["Dreaming" by Albert Campbell plays]

- -

- - No.

-You promised me. -No, I did not.

I promised you I would never take another one.

-Mr. Cohen-- -No. N-O.

We don't want to lose you too, Mr. Cohen.

I am well aware of my current state.

And not much of a future one, I might add.

But the doctor prescribed these medications to make--

The doctor. Fuck the doctor!

I'm the doctor.

I'm the one trying to stay alive.

Okay, fine.

Just tell me how I can help, then.

You can help me by understanding he's close.

-He is real close. -Who's close?

He's come back for me and you better help me

or I'm gone. Get it? Done.

Gone. Dead. Help me!

Diana, you gotta help me, he's close.

You hear me, don't you?

Don't you understand it?

You have to help me, please.

-Diana. -Please let me go!

Oh, boy.

Well, she was in good mood when she left.

The green Jesus.

- -Yeah. Thank you.

What happened?

-Wouldn't take the pills. -Yeah.

They're not helping me and they never will.

-I understand. -So suck on that.

Yeah, look, you know, we all miss your roommate,

we really do, and I know you do too.

I mean, he was doing well,

walking around, visiting people.

He didn't kill himself, you know.

What do you mean he didn't kill himself?

Hear me.

He did not kill himself.

I don't know, Mr. Cohen. All I know is he swallowed...

two bottles of prescription pills.

Well, that doesn't mean he killed himself.

No, it doesn't.

And I have no reason not to believe you.

Well, you don't have to believe me.

Believe me or not, it's up to you.

Well, I just wanna let you know

you're gonna be getting a roommate.

So now I get another roommate.

- -That fast.

Wow.

Gary's not even cold yet, bud.

Look, there's a shortage of beds in the city.

It's not my call, and I know it sucks.

It really does suck.

You know, your girlfriend, just now,

was very pissed off when she left.

You know? And you might wanna check on her.

Now, she's my colleague, not my girlfriend.

She's a colleague?

Yeah. I work with her.

You sleep with colleagues?

I don't sleep with her.

Honest Indian?

Bullshit.

Take care of yourself, Mr. Cohen.

"Colleague. She's my colleague."

Kill the light on your way out, will ya, bud?

You got it.

Uh, I'm afraid I have a bit of bad news though.

Your brother's operation didn't go quite

as well as I expected it to have.

And, uh, consequently...

he's paralyzed.

Paralyzed?

Yeah.

Our original examination shows, uh, from the neck down.

I don't understand, Dr. Belmont,

you said he was a good candidate for surgery.

Well, he was.

And usually, in cases like your brother,

these surgeries go very well.

But nothing's ever certain.

He's still in his 20s.

It doesn't make sense.

The short of it is, uh...

we couldn't remove all of the tumor

because of the close proximity to his spinal cord.

Okay, but what about more chemo treatment?

Yeah, well, of course, we'll continue to try that therapy.

Be that as it may...

you see the tumor right there?

It's pressing against his spinal cord, and that right there,

that's-- that's what causes his paralysis.

My brother will beat this, you'll see.

I'm hoping he does.

I sure am hoping he does.

Is there, um, anyone you'd like us

to reach out to on your behalf?

Parents?

Just me and Billy.

Been that way for a while now.

I see.

Well, we do have wonderful counsels.

-You're more than welcome-- -No, no, I just--

I just wanna see my brother, please.

Of course. Of course you do.

Is he awake?

Well, not right now, no.

He-- he comes in and out of consciousness

because of the medication.

Our preliminary tests show he has full mental faculties,

and I'm sure he is gonna be so happy to see you

when he finally comes awake.

He's on his way to his room right now.

Go on, go see.

Thank you.

Here you go.

Careful.

Right over there, guys.

Meet your new roommate, Billy.

What's the matter with Billy?

Well, when he wakes up, you can ask him yourself.

If he wakes up.

He'll wake up.

-Really? -Mm-hmm.

Then I'll be able to have a conversation with someone.

-Exactly. -With a human being.

With a human being.

Notice how I'm not sure I qualify you

in the human being category.

That's enough.

Jesus.

When the hell are they gonna fix this thing?

Aah.

I need a fucking vacation.

Paging Dr. Bender.

Paging Dr. Bender, please.

Dr. Kravitz, you have a visitor in the main lobby.

Dr. Kravitz, a visitor in the main lobby.

Do you remember the first time I got into a fight?

I had to have been what? Eight or nine, maybe.

Billy?

I didn't even wanna fight the kid,

but once word got out, I just couldn't help myself.

This is what you're thinking about?

It was such an awkward fight.

Two kids swinging and flailing around

with the group around us all cheering us on.

Yeah, I was there, I remember.

I won, right?

The fight.

I mean, I guess if there was a winner, would've been you.

Then his friends started throwing rocks at us

when we were walking home after.

Yeah, at the both of us.

I remember you shielding me till Dad pulled up to get us.

Hey, what's going on?

One of the rocks gave me an orbital fracture.

Dad was somehow pissed at me

for getting blood on the car seats.

Dad was an asshole sometimes.

Dad was an asshole all the time.

Yeah, you're right. All the time.

But you, you always protected me.

And I'm gonna protect you again.

This is just temporary.

I'm gonna do whatever it takes to get up

and out of this bed to walk again, I promise you.

I know you will.

And I'll be right here when you do.

Right by your side.

Like you've always been.

Always.