Batman

Chapter 1 Don't Be Afraid

(It opens as an eight-year-old Bruce Wayne is playing with Ethan and an animated Rachel Dawes.)

Rachel: Bruce? Bruce, you know I'll find you!
Bruce: No way. I can be as quiet as a-

(Bruce falls into a well and lands on the ground as several bats appear.)

Bruce: HELP!

[Bruce goes into a fetal position and starts crying. Rachel runs off. Scene cuts to a few minutes later as Thomas Wayne climbs down the well.]

Thomas (whispering): Bruce...

[Bruce looks up and reaches out for his father. Thomas takes his hand.]

Thomas: It's alright...everything's going to be fine.

(Thomas holds Bruce as he walks to the Mansion.)

Alfred: Had a bad fall, didn't we, Master Bruce?
Thomas: And why do we fall Bruce? So we can learn to pick ourselves up.
Martha: Oh, Bruce, are you okay?
Bruce: I'll be fine Mom.

Rachel's Mom: I'm so sorry! I've told her repeatedly...
Thomas: It's alright.
Ethan: You alright, Bruce?

[Bruce stays quit. Cut to the next day as Bruce wakes up.)

Thomas: How are you, son?
Bruce: I'm okay. I actually kinda like the bats now. I think I scared them more than they scared me.

Thomas: That's true. Bats are very unique creatures.

Bruce: Yeah. Can we still see The Mark of Zorro?
Thomas: Of course, son. But first I want your opinion on something.

[Thomas takes out a box and opens it. Inside is a pearl necklace.]

Thomas: I bought it for your mother. You think she'll like it?
Bruce: I think she will.
Thomas (Smiling): Good.

(Cut to the family walking out of the theater.)

Bruce: That was such a cool movie! I think that Zorro guy's really brave.
Thomas: Let's cut through here, it'll get us to Alfred in half the time.
Martha: Keep up Bruce.

[They walk into the dark ally.]

Bruce: Wasn't it great how Zorro slew the bad guy!
Thomas: Yes, it was.

[Suddenly a shady man steps out from the shadows.]

Man: Hold it right there!
Martha: Oh my god!
Man: Quiet lady! Just give me your pearls!
Thomas: Look, take it easy. I'll give you anything you want, just don't- (BANG!)
Bruce: DAD!
Martha: TOM! Oh god! Oh god, Tom!

[The man reaches for Martha's necklace, but she fights him off.]

Martha: Run, Bruce, ru-(BANG!)
Bruce: MOMMY!

[Martha falls to the ground. The man and Bruce both exchange a dark look. The man takes Martha's pearls and runs off. Bruce can only stand there, shocked by what's happened.]

Thomas (Whispering): Bruce...

[Bruce looks down at his father.]

Thomas: Bruce, it's okay...don...don't be afraid...

[Thomas gasps and dies. Bruce kneels over his dead parents and weeps. Scene cuts to the police precinct as Gordon sits at his desk reading the newspaper.]

Commissioner (Bursting in): Gordon, get out here now!
Gordon (Bolting up): Yes, sir.

[Gordon throws down the paper and follows him. Scene cuts to the newspaper article he was reading titled "Mysterious Meteor Shower Rocks Smallville Kansas". Bruce is sitting on a bench holding the beads that fell off of his mother's neck.)

Gordon: That's Bruce Wayne. What happened to his parents?
Commissioner: They were shot.
Gordon: Oh, come with me son.
Cop: Is he gonna be okay?

Cop 2: He'll be fine. Kid like that with all that money. He'll be just fine.
Cop 1: Quiet! He's in the next room, he doesn't need to be hearing all this.
Gordon: He's right, Pettit. Drop it.

[Gordon looks outside the office window and see's a slew of reporters making their way into the building.]

Gordon (To himself): Geez.
Pettit: Oh, please, don't tell me you can't see it. His family has billions and...
Gordon (Cutting in): Shut the hell up, Pettit! The kids eight years old for God's sake!
Pettit: Whatever. His Butler's coming to pick him up. You hear that? He's got a butler.
Gordon: Victor?
Cop 1: Already ahead of you, (Small struggle) let's go, Pettit. We have to stop that Press mob out there
Pettit: All right, all right, I'm going.