The boy and his parents were walking down an old alleyway, talking about the movie they had just seen.
"It was a rather odd movie, wasn't it dear?"
"Yes, it was. Not the traditional superhero movie I was expecting to see, but still a very good movie."
"I didn't understand it at all, Dad. Why didn't he beat Elijah up at the end? He knew he was the one causing the accidents, yet he walked away and called the police. Why?" Bruce asked his father.
"Because, son, he realized that he would do more good by calling the cops than by beating him up. Violence is hardly ever the best way to handle a tough situation. But sometimes, superheroes have to resort to it in order to help people," his father replied.
"Oh."
Bruce was busy thinking about the movie while his parents were talking about something dealing with their business when he noticed a shadow coming from behind them. Before he could react, he heard a click and he and his parents stopped. Bruce turned around alongside his parents to face the source of the shadow.
"Give me all you've got. I want your money, jewelry, phones, everything. The only thing I don't want is your lives, but if you try anything funny, I won't hesitate to pull this trigger. Understand?"
Slowly, Bruce's father nodded. His mother was shaking, nodding as well. Bruce just looked at the man. The man had a look in his eyes that he couldn't comprehend.
"I'm about to reach for my wallet, don't shoot," Bruce heard his father say. The man nodded, but didn't lower the gun. His father reached into his back pocket and slowly pulled out his wallet and offered it to the man.
"Don't forget the jewelry your wife has around her neck and her fingers." The man said while taking the wallet, but never taking the gun off of his father.
"Martha, be calm."
While his father was removing his mother's jewelry, Bruce noticed his father skip a ring on her hand. When he was done, his father held out the jewelry to the robber.
"I want that ring as well." The man said, gesturing towards Martha's hand.
"Sir, I don't know who you are, but please, let us keep our wedding rings. Take everything else, but let us keep those."
The man pointed the gun at Bruce now. "I want everything, I said. I meant it."
"Thomas, forget the rings. We can replace those. Let's just give him want he wants." Martha said to his father.
Thomas sighs and removes his wedding band. Martha removes hers as well, and both give them to the man. The robber smiles and notices the glint of Thomas' gold watch underneath his jacket. He points the gun at Bruce's mom.
"Hold out your right arm, Thomas and give me that watch you have. And remember, no funny business from anybody. Once I'm confident that I have everything I want, I'll leave you alone. Don't forget your phones either. I'll be taking those as well."
Bruce keeps watching the man while his father removes his watch. He notices how the man eye's keep glancing around, looking for signs of trouble. Bruce kicks at a rock on the ground. The rock hits the robber and startles him, forcing him to pull the trigger. Martha falls to the ground and Thomas cries out. Bruce yells for his mom and runs to her side. The man hurriedly points the gun at Thomas and shoots. The man looks around and starts to back up while pointing the gun at Bruce.
"Son, I'm really sorry. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. Now just let me leave and I won't kill you as well."
Bruce just hangs his head low and thinks. Tears running down his face, he picks up the rock he kicked earlier without letting the robber notice. Bruce nods and clenches the rock in his hand. The robber lowers the gun, backs up a little and begins to turn around to run.
"HEY!" Bruce yells.
When the robber begins to turn around to face him, Bruce hurls the rock through the air and hits the man in the jaw with it. The robber screams out in pain and drops to the ground, dropping the gun. Bruce quickly closes the gap between them and kicks the gun just out of the robber's reach. He yells out in anger and kicks the man in the ribs. The man grunts and falls onto his side. Bruce kicks him in the face and blood sprays from his nose. The robber screams. Bruce walks over to the gun and picks it up. He walks back to the wounded man and stomps on his hands. More screams echo down the alleyway. Bruce rolls the man over and sits on his chest.
"You killed my parents for no reason. Why? What did they do to you? Nothing…and yet you killed them."
Bruce shakily points the gun at the man's face. The mugger's eyes widen in fear. Tears roll down both of their faces. Bruce breathes out one last time and pulls the trigger. Bruce drops the gun and walks backs to his family and passes out beside them.