Bruce is 6.

Chapter 3: Hush

Alfred's POV

"Thank you, Alfred." Master Thomas said as I served him his afternoon tea.

"You're quite welcome, Sir. Now if that will be all, I need to fetch Master Bruce from school."

"That won't be necessary. He's at a friend's house."

"A friend?"

"You know Roger and Marla Elliot don't you?"

"Of course sir. They live on the other side of the Drakes."

"Their son is the same age as Bruce and I thought it'd be better for him to have someone his own age to play with." He replied as I frowned.

There's just something I don't like about that family… I'm just not sure what.

********Break********

Bruce's POV

"Tommy, where are we going?" I asked as I followed him out to his backyard.

"You'll see." He replied as I followed him into the woods behind his house.

We eventually came across some kind of trap. I could see a rabbit inside the cage. Tommy rolled his sleeves up and I caught bruising in the form of a handprint. He opened the cage and pulled the rabbit out.

"Bruce, do you know what happens when you stop breathing?" he asked.

"You die?"

"And after you die, you go to Heaven." He replied before pinning the rabbit to the ground.

"W-what are you going to do?" I asked, nervously.

He pulled out a scalpel like the kind that Daddy used at work. I looked away as he started cutting the rabbit's hide off while it was still alive.

********Break*******

Alfred's POV

The young master was very quiet when I picked him up from his play date.

"Everything alright, Master Bruce?" I asked as he shrugged.

"I guess so."

"You cannot guess your feelings, young sir. A simple yes or no will suffice."

"Yes?"

Nothing more was said on the issue. He simply stayed in his room the rest of the day. He merely pushed his food around on his plate at dinner. When it was time for his bath, he merely sat still and didn't play with any of his bath toys.

"Master Bruce, what is bothering you? You can tell me anything."

"Tommy cut the ear off a bunny while it was still alive… Then he killed it." He muttered as I stared at him in shock. "He showed me what he needed the ear for. He's making a stuffed rabbit and he only wants certain parts of certain animals."

********Break********

I finally managed to coax the young master to sleep after a few hours. I approached Master Thomas and Mrs. Martha.

"Is Bruce asleep?" He asked as his wife excused herself.

"He is… Master Thomas, I don't like it would be wise to continue to allow your son to play with-"

"Nonsense, Alfred. Bruce needs friends his own age. The Elliots are harmless people. Roger and I went to school together. We're from the same class. I think I'd know what I'm doing."

"Roger Elliot becomes abusive when he-"

"Alfred, I think that's enough. Goodnight." He dismissed as I stood there for a moment before walking away in disbelief.

Nothing good will come of this.