FADE IN:
INT. ARKHAM ASYLUM ROOM 301 – DAY
BRUCE WAYNE, a 15-year-old Caucasian male with dark hair and an average build, lays in bed, staring at the ceiling with a brooding look on his face. He wears a white hospital gown. The door opens and Bruce sits up as a MAN walks in, his face not shown. He's tall and lanky, Caucasian in his mid-20s. From the way he's dressed, he seems to be a doctor.
BRUCE
Who are you?
We see the man's face. He has a carefree demeanor about him. How little he cares is all over his face, although he does make some attempt to cover it. He has shoulder-length light brown hair.
MAN
Well, hello, Bruce. I'm your psychiatrist, Dr. Jack.
An awkward silence passes.
BRUCE
That's it? Just Jack? Jack isn't a last name.
DR. JACK
Oh, Bruce, last names are for normal people. And here at Arkham…well, there's no such thing.
BRUCE
Whatever you say.
DR. JACK
(laughs a little)
We're not here to talk about me, Bruce. Let's, start our session, shall we?
Bruce shrugs.
DR. JACK (continued)
(opens Bruce's file and begins to read as he takes a seat)
Now, let's see here…hmmm…hmmm. I see that you are here for assault. Why don't you tell me what happened?
BRUCE
Isn't it in the file?
DR. JACK
Yes, but I want your side of the story.
BRUCE
(gives an annoyed exhale)
It wasn't my fault. I was sitting in the back of the class like always, keeping to myself.
DR. JACK
Why do you do that? Sit in the back. Keep to yourself.
BRUCE
Because that's what I'm comfortable doing.
DR. JACK
What about socializing and making friends?
BRUCE
That's what I'm not comfortable doing.
DR. JACK
(nodding)
Hmmm…continue the story.
BRUCE
Well, like I said, I was minding my own business. Then these kids started to mess with me.
DR. JACK
How many kids?
BRUCE
Three…really it was one. The other two were just following behind him.
DR. JACK
And what was this boy's name, the leader?
BRUCE
Tony. Tony Stark. You may have heard of his father, Howard.
DR. JACK
Yes, I believe I have heard of him… What happened next? You were minding your business and then Tony Stark and company interrupted. Then what?
BRUCE
He snatched my notebook I was writing in. Then he and the other two started to make fun of what was in it.
DR. JACK
Which was?
BRUCE
Bats.
DR. JACK
Excuse me?
BRUCE
I wasn't writing, per say. I was drawing. Bats.
There is silence as Dr. Jack gathers his thoughts for a few seconds.
DR. JACK
Bruce, I've seen your notebook. I've seen the bats. All of them. Dozens and dozens of pages littered with the creatures. I wonder and so have to ask, why so many?
BRUCE
I don't want to talk about the bats.
DR. JACK
Bruce, you are in an asylum for the criminally insane. One of your classmates currently lays in a hospital bed because you beat him so badly you almost killed him. I think talking about the bats is a must.
Bruce is silent for a few seconds, just staring hard at Dr. Jack.
BRUCE
I can't get them out of my head. So I try to release them onto paper. It doesn't really work.
DR. JACK
How did the bats get inside your head?
BRUCE
(blankly)
It was years ago. One might say I was attacked. However you might classify what happened, they are now stuck in my head and I can't get them out.
DR. JACK
And how does that make you feel?
BRUCE
Dark. I just feel dark, as dark as a night with no stars. I don't want to feel this way, but I can't help it. I feel like I'm going crazy, like I'm going to burst one day and hurt someone. Way worse than what I did to Tony.
Dr. Jack contemplates what Bruce has said for a few moments.
DR. JACK
Bruce, you're not going crazy.
BRUCE
Really? That's your honest opinion?
DR. JACK
Yes, you are not going crazy. Bruce, you already are crazy.
BRUCE
Gee, thanks.
DR. JACK
No, you don't understand. That's a good thing. Sort of.
BRUCE
Tell that to the judge who put me in here.
DR. JACK
When you experience the things you've experienced, witnessing your parents' murder, being attacked by bats, this sort of thing is expected. It's okay that you're crazy.
BRUCE
And why is that, Dr. Jack?
DR. JACK
Oh, just call me Dr. J… It's okay because sometimes you just gotta go a little crazy to keep from going insane.
They sit in silence for a few moments while Bruce digests what he's been told. Dr. Jack gets up and goes to the door.
DR. JACK (continued)
(opening the door)
Well, that's all the time we have for today. See you tomorrow, Bats.
FADE OUT.
THE END