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Rated M for Mature
Appropriate for readers 18 and over. May contain extreme violence, sexual themes, nudity, or profanity.
Batman: Secret Files, Chapter 16- Memories
Ever since I was a kid, I stared at the grave of my parents, along with their friends, and family members. Alfred was standing there besides me. His hand held to my right shoulder, telling me that everything will come to pass. How long could I grieve for my parents? That question always comes to mind. Now, they don't exist in this world any more. They have gone to the afterlife, probably watching me, hoping that one day that their once young Bruce Wayne, will reunite with them in their arms. But that time won't come as my hands were meant to crush down crime.
I made a promise to myself that one day I would fight crime. But it wasn't easy. Even for a kid to bear these kind of things. A kid who lost his parents, wondering how will his tragic life end. There was only one solution to solve this problem. And that solution is to find ways in fighting crime. Because, I studied hard in crimimal psychology and various other fields. The skill-set was vast that I could manage things in my own way. My own sense of justice. I also vowed myself that I wouldn't kill any villain even if they had cause the deaths of innocent lives.
While studying criminal psychology at my own time, a kid came to see me, and made friends with me ever since. I never knew the kid but later he was turned out to be the child of two loveable parents. He was always outgoing, never wanted to study, yet he always likes to play pranks around his house. One day, he arrived at my mansion, watching over me beside the window, where I studied the books.
He waved his hand to me so that whether I can play games with him. He also heard the death of my parents and wanted to cheer me up. A happy to go-lucky guy who never stops smiling. Alfred used to tell me that in order to move on, I have to make some kind of friends. The problem is that the friendship never really mattered to me. Because that night is when Bruce Wayne died. The night that changed my life. It changed....everything.
Alfred forced me to go down and play with the kid. I never wanted to have fun besides focusing on my studies. The kid wore like a green shirt and a blue pant, showing off his cool looks in winter time. He also had a slight grey jacket on. His hoodie also covers his ears, so that the cold won't freeze them in pain. He told me that whether it's time to play. He laughed so hard that not even Bruce Wayne could laugh as anyone else. The kid went around and grabbed some piles of snow, made it into a snowball, and threw it at me. The snowball came right towards me and hit my face, covered with a little bit of snow. The kid laughed at me as if though it was some kind of a joke. I didn't feel like laughing back then. Instead, I went back inside the mansion without saying anything to him. The kid was confused, wondering if he had done something wrong. But he couldn't understand my pain, which the once former Bruce Wayne tried to overcome. The kid realized that I was serious about my studies, so that my bad memories will flush away. That was the time, the kid left Wayne Manor and never came back. Until, the now-grown up kid just registered his classes at Princeton University.
He always come to disturb my studies, telling me that I should at least have some fun. There were times that even kids, teenagers, and young adults like to play games with each other. Such games would be football for an instance. There were football games happening at Princeton every year. But I never challnged enough to get into the game. For the new friend who arrived early at the Wayne Manor, he sure has guts in playing the game. He was a famous quarterback, who had raws of firepower in his hands. But there were only the hands which allowed him to push anyone on his way. A strong man with a positive attitude. Whenever he wins a touchdown, he dances on the field, showing off his own moves. I was watching all the happy charade in the stadium. It was a big moment for my friend to accomplish such an event. Winner Takes All!
At times, I used to come with my friend to the stadium and watch his football games. Usually, I took books with me so that the reading would pass my time away. I went to the gym locker roon where no one was there, taking shower, or dressing up back into their former clothes. There was a bench nearby the lockers. I sat on the bench, reading the criminal psychology book. The cheers came rushing through the background and my ears were able to pick them up. But the sounds didn't disturb me. The only one who disturbs me at my time of reading and studying the books, was....
"Hey Bruce," said my friend who just came out of the open field and through the gym doors, wondering where I was. "I thought you went to the library."
"I figured you would need me."
"But you just came here to read books."
"Yeah."
"Why? At this time of a good game? Come on, Bruce. Live a good life a little. Will you? Can you hear that? The people are cheering for me."
"That's good to hear."
My friend came closer to the bench and sat besides me. His eyes were focused upon the books, which I was currently reading. He then gave a pat on my back and still said in his own kind words.
"Bruce. You need a life. You know that, right?"
I didn't respond to his kind words. If there is one thing in life which is good about him. It's that level of kindess, which he had given me. Alfred was right. In order to move on, there are other things in life, which can make you happy. But sometimes the pain was still there and yet I couldn't stop reaching my own goal. The goal that will be never-ending for the rest of my life.
"Well, Bruce. I better go for the next round. Wish me good luck."
"Good luck."
My friend went outside the front doors of the gym room. And the doors remained shut. The cheerleaders were cheering for him, saying high praises. The cheerful thoughts ran through my head, never-ending. It was that time my best friend had won the game. He won....so many times. I decided to walk through the door, and see that my friend were being given high praises by the crowd and his coach. I opened it slightly.
The door slightly opened and out came the Commissioner who just arrived at the hospital. He heard that my best friend, Alfred was shot through the right side of his head. The doctors said it was a critical condition that might put Alfred into a comatose state. It's like I was watching my parents died that night. A horrible nightmare which occured again. The Commissioner held out his hand onto my right shoulder just like Alfred would have done mine.
"Bruce....Don't worry. I'm sure he'll come around."
"I know."
The Commissioner then turned his eyes towards the TV screen, where it showed that several people have been killed by the madman. He was nicknamed, the "Berserker" because he went crazy around the bush, killing lots of people. But no one knew his real name though. The shouts came from the crowd who got frustated over the fact that their loved ones were killed by the Berserker.
When Alfred was put to the hospital, I called the Commissioner to find out about this Berserker guy. He said that it was hard to find the guy since the Berserker was a former army soldier. The Commissioner ponder his thoughts about the guy and wonder if the police force can apprehend him. He stood like an old statue, waiting for answers, yet he didn't say anything from his mouth. He then turned back facing towards me, asking more questions.
"Bruce....Have you contacted Batman?"
"Yes, I did."
"What did he say?"
"He said that he'll be dealing with the matter."
"Ok. But tell him that the police force needs him. Who knows what this lunatic would do next?"
I nodded and wonder what I could do to find the Berserker. I asked Gordon to see if he had come up with any clues.
"Did you find out where he is?"
"I'm afraid not, Bruce. We're out of luck. This guy runs like a house rat. We don't even know where he will strike next."
I pondered my thoughts for a while and try to come up with a solution. As a light bulb began to click on my head, Alfred started to open his eyes slightly. I was glad to see that the butler was alive. The Commissioner was also astonished to see him, awakening from the seemingly afterlife. When Alfred opened his eyes, he whispered a few words in front of me.
"Master....Bruce...."
"I'm here, Alfred," I said with a soft and calm voice. My hands were still held upon his right hand. But then all of a sudden, the butler looked up at the wall, opening his mouth, and trying to see if he can breathe. That breath didn't seem to be there, going in and out. Finally, the butler closed his eyes again and his head was tilted towards the right side, and felt back to deep unconsciousness again. But this time, the monitor began to show his life readings being flat-lined. The Commissioner and I were shocked to see what has happened to Alfred. I went closer to Alfred, telling him to wake up. As if the whole world was turning upside down....again.
"Alfred....Alfred!.....ALFRED!"
To be continued in Batman: Secret Files, Chapter 17- Fractures.
NOOOOO! Ok. Ok. Calm down. Sit, breathe, relax, and find out what happens in the next chapter of....BATMAN!
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