Batman: Year One Page #5

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MUGGER grabs MOTHER VICIOUSLY by the THROAT and she's

choking.

PEARLS bounce on the pavement.

FATHER takes a swing at the MUGGER.

MUGGER:

Crazy bastards.

BANG!

BOY FLINCHES.

Blood sprays on his face.

BANG!

BANG!

BANG!

BRUCE WAYNE's body FLINCHES in his cot with each shot.

We're back in—

INT. BRUCE WAYNE'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

BRUCE shoots upright in bed.

BRUCE WAYNE'S MOUTH SNARLS, in torment.

BRUCE WAYNE'S FISTS lay in his lap. The fists QUAKE. UNHOLY

RAGE.

He goes and takes the WOODEN BOX in his shaking, sweaty

hands. His thumb is about to open the heavy brass latch BRUCE

is interrupted by a clanking sound from the street.

EXT. THE GIRLS GALORE PEEPSHOW THEATER - NIGHT

The sleazy sex venue was—

THE GRAND THEATER FROM BRUCE'S NIGHTMARES.

Only now, instead of a young BOY walking the sidewalk with

his parents—

CAMPBELL, the fat detective, staggers around in the street.

DRUNKENLY he throws a RUSTY MUFFLER up at SELINA'S WINDOW.

CAMPBELL:

Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your

hair!

Her window opens.

SELINA:

You picked a BAD night to mess with

me, CAMPBELL!

CAMPBELL:

Aww, come on darling is that anyway

to treat a customer?

SELINA:

I'm paid up. You got your damn

money. That's all you get from me,

a**hole.

SELINA SLAMS her window.

CAMPBELL takes a PULL from his BOTTLE

And goes into the CATHOUSE.

A moment later BRUCE crosses the street and follows him

inside the—

INT. CATHOUSE - NIGHT

BRUCE cautiously enters. From upstairs—

Bang, bang, bang.

He hears the sound of a fist pounding a door. Voices echo

down the empty stairwell.

CAMPBELL (O.S.)

Come on honey, you know that's not

the way things work. It's just part

of the price of doing business.

SELINA (O.S.)

Go away you fat pig.

CAMPBELL (O.S.)

What the hell? Who are you? You're

a WHORE. This is what you DO.

BRUCE puts a foot on the first step up to —

INT. SELINA 'S APARTMENT - NIGHT

CAMPBELL KICKS IN the door— CRACK!

SELINA:

(backs away)

You can't do this. I pay you. I've

always paid you.

CAMPBELL grabs SELINA 'S WRIST.

SELINA kicks him in the crotch — THWACK.

CAMPBELL:

B*TCH!

CAMPBELL SLAPS HER across the face, HARD.

She CRASHES into a table covered with LEATHER BONDS, RUBBER

GEAR. MASKS.

CATS scamper in all directions.

SELINA SCRAMBLES for the door.

CAMPBELL JERKS her back into the room and SLAMS her against

the wall.

SELINA punches CAMPBELL — POP — in the face.

CAMPBELL'S head snaps back and SELINA makes a break for the

door. He puts a hand to his face and feels the blood.

CAMPBELL (CONT'D)

You're f***ing dead.

ENRAGED, CAMPBELL moves to block SELINA's escape. He punches

her in the stomach. She collapses.

CAMPBELL picks up her CRICKET BAT and starts smashing the

place. SMACK — a lamp flies into the wall. BASH — a music box

explodes into a million pieces.

CAMPBELL (CONT'D)

I've had it up to here with all the

b*tches like you.

CAMPBELL is standing over SELINA now, CRICKET BAT in his

hands.

CAMPBELL (CONT'D)

I'm going to show you once and for

all.

SELINA is TERRIFIED!

CAMPBELL bends down and GRABS SELINA VICIOUSLY by the THROAT

and—

LIFTS HER OFF THE GROUND with one hand.

She is CHOKING.

CAMPBELL (CONT'D)

You're mine to do with as I please,

you understand that? And now it's

going to please me to KILL YOU.

He c*cks the CRICKET BAT back, about to smash her brains out

when—

SUDDENLY BRUCE APPEARS IN THE ROOM.

HIS FACE:
a mask of UNHOLY RAGE.

CAMPBELL:

What the f*** do you want? Get the

hell out of here!

BRUCE doesn't say a word. He just delivers an upper cut –

SMACK — to CAMPBELL'S rib cage. A couple ribs go.

A left hook— SMACK — to CAMPBELL'S face. The nose shatters.

An elbow — SMACK — to CAMPBELL'S head. The jaw breaks.

CAMPBELL stumbles back to the wall. FALLS to his knees.

BRUCE isn't finished with CAMPBELL. He moves in.

SELINA grabs the cricket bat—

CRACK!

SHE HITS BRUCE!

A startled BRUCE staggers.

Things -

SELINA:

Sorry about that.

- go —

SELINA (CONT'D)

But he's mine.

- DARK.

MUCH LATER:

BRUCE slowly comes around.

SELINA is gone.

CAMPBELL lies smashed out on the floor in a puddle of blood.

DEAD.

RED LIGHTS FLASH from the street.

Footsteps in the hall.

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