Justified
You ever get the feeling that you're doing something right but deep down you know it’s not. I get that feeling often, it’s just hard to fight it with this voice in my head. Well since I told you about the voice, I guess that means you deserve some explanation. My name’s Wayde. I'm 23 about to be 24 if I live that long. You see, I'm a thief, no way to sugar coat it, but it's for a good reason. A couple years ago I met this girl, her name's Sally. We met at a fair in town. I ain't gonna tell you where I live in case you’re a cop…..ahh I'm just yankin your chain, I live in the city of Yankton. It's pretty big, lots of people and lots of bad people. So anyways, me and Sally hit it off real well, hung out at the fair and hung around a bit after that as well. Soon it got to the point we started to really like each other, soon afterwards we got together it was great but only for a short time.
One day Sally got in a wreck with a semi-truck. I was torn apart. I blamed myself, I wasn't there to protect her. The accident messed up her stomach or something they wouldn't tell me. They did inform me that it is fatal. There is an operation that can fix it but it's very expensive. So in my panicked state, I turned to the only thing I could think of, get the money, and save your girl. Well, it ain't that easy, see I just work at a bar as a bartender. It don't pay the greatest. One day some rich, snobby guy strolls in asking for our finest whisky. I don't care much for rich people but it's my job to do as asked, so I served his drink. Soon he was drunk to the point of falling over. Makes me laugh when people are like that, light weights are always fun. Anyway I cut him off and said I'd call a cab. Soon the cab arrived and I walked him out. On our way out I noticed he had a pretty shiny pocket watch.  I eyeballed it for a while and thought “That has to be worth money” then deep in the back of my head I heard it, the voice. It was a low murmur at first but grew louder and louder “Take it...go on... reach out and take it”. I was confused.  That's wrong, stealing is bad,  “or is it” the voice asked. “It's for Sally, we gotta save her somehow” it murmured. I thought this over, it had a point, bartending ain't gonna save Sally.
We were almost at the door now and I had to be quick.  So it just so happened that we tripped over a stool as we fell I slipped my hand in his pocket and snagged the watch. I quickly put it in my pocket “Oh my bad, sir are you alright” I asked. “What is this, are you drunk man, walk straight” he shouted. After he collected himself, he walked himself to the cab and left.
When it was closing time I took out the watch and looked at it.  It was beautiful, gold and shiny and engraved in the back was “To my loving husband Thomas I’ll cherish you forever”.  “Well well, that ain't yours is it?”  I hear behind me.  I whirl around to see a man in a hooded jacket . “How are you here?  Who are you?”  “Easy, easy, calm down pal, it's alright” says the man.  I watch him carefully, he sees this. “I guess I should introduce myself.  I'm Belmont.”  He holds his hand out, I shake it whirly. “I watched you lift that watch off that rich snob.  Pretty good, but you ain't done this before have you?” I began to panic, is he gonna rat on me?  I'm in trouble. I'm done for.  “Actually not that bad, you got quick hands. That's good, could use someone like you” he said.  I froze someone like me? What does he mean by that?  He notices that I'm lost in thought, “I can tell you need money and I can help”.  “Well you have my attention” I say.  He smiles a devilish grin,  “Ahh that’s what I like to hear. So let's get to it.  You steal trinkets and such, bring them to me for green money. I may even have you do other task for me as well.”  He seemed confident I was in but me a thief?  Why?  We can save Sally the honest way can't we?
“Or can we?” says the voice. It just came out of nowhere. “Do it, you know you wanna” it taunts me. “We can save Sally real quick, maybe buy her some fancy things as well. Hmmm” it murmurs.  It has a point, we can save her….wait,  hold on, there's only me.  If I do this, I choose... not this voice. After some thought I extend my hand and say “You got a deal,  Bud”. He smiles his wicked grin and shakes my hand, “I knew I could count on you”.  With that, I hand him the watch, he gives me the cash and he’s gone.
So now that you're all caught up now, you know why I do what I do.  I decided not to tell Sally. I don't want her to worry about me.  She ain't doing to good.  She's at her mother's house and  I visit when I can. I almost have enough for the operation just a little more and I'll  save her.  I've been at this for a while now. Pretty good at it rings, wallets, watches you name it, I take it. Belmont is a pretty good guy, pays me well.
Everything is going well except for the voice. The voice says, “Why save Sally, we can use the money on ourselves”. It don't like that I'm saving it for Sally.  It eats away at me day and night, keeps me awake. “ You're useless”,  “You're nothing but a petty thief”,  “You're just a bad guy”, it will shout.  All I can do is sit there and take it.  Nothing shuts it up.
So I just got a call from Belmont about a job wants me to break into a house and steal their riches. Easy peasy... things like this are cake walks. I arrive at the house in the cover of night, scope the place out.  The owners are home, no lights are on. It's a two story house no biggy I got this. I go in through the first floor window, I'm in the kitchen.  “Might as well help myself to a late night snack” I chuckle to myself and snag a sandwich from the fridge.  After closing the door I stand up and see before me a little boy.  I freeze.  I got half a sandwich in my mouth and the other half in my hand. He stares at me. I slowly chew and swallow the sandwich. Belmont didn't say anything about kids, what is this?  “Mister, why are you eating my sandwich?” the boys asks.  “Umm I, uhh well you see” I don't know what to say I ain't never been in this situation. “Mister, why are you eating my sandwich?” he ask again but more agitated and a wee bit louder.  “Umm because I uhh... here” I give him the other half.  He eyes me suspiciously but takes it . “So umm little man, how old are you?”  “I'm five.  How old are you?”  “Oh me?  I'm an old man”. He slowly eats his sandwich, his gaze never leaves me. I'm sweating  bullets.  Do I book it and run? What?  “Grab the boy”, I hear in my head.  What?  No are you crazy?  “Grab him, we can make them give us the riches” it says again. “No, no I won’t.  You can't make me” I shout back. “Oh but I can and I will if you don't do it”.  I’m scared now.  The kid seems calm but eyes me. “No we can't do this” the voice lets out a loud sigh, “You leave me no choice. I've idled by for too long.  You have forced my hand.  Boy, I will not let this all go to waste”.  I feel tingly all over. “What are you doing?” I reply in a panicked squeak.  “What I should have done a long time ago” it shouts. I can't move my arms or my legs.  I can't do anything just watch as my arm shoots out and grabs the boy by the collar. It brings him in, while covering his mouth, my other hand grabs a knife off the counter.  “Shh... not a word or we kill you. Where is your parents room?”
I can see the fear in his eyes as he points to  the stairs. “Gooood boy, now let's go”.  “No, no, stop this is wrong.  Leave him be.  He's just a kid” I scream but I have no control. I've lost it. I ain't in control. We slowly make our way upstairs, the poor kid is in tears.  “Stop crying on me, you brat” I hiss.  This causes more tears.  Soon we are outside his parents door, we enter slowly. They are fast asleep. “Aww, ain't that cute”.  “STOP LEAVE THEM ALONE!”  I shout again.  “You brought this on yourself, Wayde. You had your chance, now it's my turn” it replies.  I let out a sharp whistle, “Rise and shine sleepy heads”.  The couple stirs and awakes to see their son with a knife to his neck.  “Timmy... oh god... please no”.  “Shut up or he gets it.  Now lady and gentleman, where are the riches?” I ask.  “Please, we have nothing.  Let our son go” they cry.  “Ooo, wrong answer “ I say smugly.  I start to  dig the knife in a bit “NO DON'T” I yell.  I gotta get control. This is my body, not its.  “ Wait, wait...there in the dresser” the man replies.  I pause, “Is that so?”  They nod slowly, tears run down their faces. I shuffle over to the dresser. “Which drawer?” I growl.  While all this unfolds, I'm trying to gain control and it ain't working.  “Top right” sobs the lady.  I open the drawer to find stacks and stacks of money,rings,necklaces, and earrings.
As the voice is drooling over the loot I'm thinking we can save Sally now.  He lets the boy go and starts to collect his loot all the while not paying attention.  All of a sudden, I hear a click of a gun. “LOOK OUT” I shout. I turn slowly.  There's a bang and I feel a sting and a rush of warmth as my left arm goes dead.  “RUN! RUN! HE'S GOT A GUN”.  I turn, jump out the window and bolt across the front yard. Somehow we manage to stagger too what I called home.  when inside the voice packs all our cash into a bag. “Take it to Sally now” I bark. “No, no we gotta run gotta hide” it whimpers. “We got shot.  We need to get this to Sally”. I'm practically begging.  ‘“NO.  I'M IN CONTROL NOW, I’M THE BOSS” it shouts. “THIS IS MY BODY I WON'T LET YOU” I struggle to put one foot in front of the other slowly gaining control.  “No you can't beat me” it cries. “YES I CAN” I shout as I get full control again. I dart out the door and run to Sallys. When I get there no lights are on she must be asleep I start to head to her door but hear screeching tires and a siren.  “FREEZE” a voice shouts. I pause for a bit.  You ever seen the movies where the bad guy don't make it in the end,  well I guess I'm the bad guy in this movie and I've come too far to stop now.  I slowly move forward towards the steps. “I WILL SHOOT”, the officer shouts.  “Stop, what are you doing?  You're gonna get us killed!” the voice begs.  “We've had this coming and it'll shut you up” I say.  “This is your last warning” the officer says shakily.  I push on. I'm on the steps now, no turning back.  ”Stop, please Wayde. I don't wanna die. Wayde please” the voice whimpers. I hear a bang and feel a burning in my chest as I reach the porch.  I stop, cold floods over me. I fall too my knees. I start to crawl to the door. I see lights turn on inside and Sally's face in the window.  Ahh I don't want her to see me like this.  She comes rushing out of the house.  “WAYDE... NO” she cries and rushes over to me, cradling my head in her lap. “Hey Sally” I wheeze. “How you doing?” She's in tears. “Shh, we'll fix this, you'll be ok” she sobs.  “Nah, nah I'm done. I had this coming” I whisper. She’s thinking how to fix this while I'm looking at her face for the last time. “I got the money for your operation.  You’re gonna be ok” .
I cough. I feel cold and dizzy all at once. She looks me in the eyes and sobs “Wayde, why, why Wayde”. “Some ones gotta look out for you, kiddo”.  I cough up some blood . “Well,  that aint healthy” I chuckle weakly.  “Sally forgive me. I just wanted to save you” I murmur.  “Wayde no” she sobs “I'm sorry Sally. I'm so sorry” I weeze with my last breath as everything goes dark and cold  and then I'm gone.