I’m a man of many mistakes. Some small, some so vile that I struggle to hide in their indecent shadows. I was born just like you. What’s that word? Yeah, innocent. I hate that word. It’s the biggest sham on this planet. A distraction from man’s basic nature. Man is a creature of greed. A far cry from innocent. That’s what makes me different, in fact better than you. I never hid my greed. It was my badge of honor, pinned to my soul, dictating my actions.

You name it, I’ve done it. Does that make you uncomfortable? It makes me pine for more. Isn’t that greed itself? Hah! What else do you want to know? The names, the places, the objects, the emotions. I never stopped long enough to remember any of those. It’s all a blur. Makes my life easier.

You must think I’m a monster. Monsters aren’t greedy. They’re just stupid. Greed and patience are my virtues. They go hand in hand like silent lovers. I guess I ran out of patience. That’s why I’m here. You think you’re a hero? It’s not you, it’s me. I let my guard down at the wrong second. That’s all it took. Probably my final mistake.

My greed doesn’t need a partner anymore. It’s grown too large and dangerous. It wants all the credit. I suspect it doesn’t even need me. Haahhaa! That makes me angry. I took care of my greed. It grew from my flesh and bones, consuming me, spitting out bits of humanity. I see that look you gave me. What humanity?

How’s that for a confession? Go ahead. Say something. Sure, you can pray. That’s what priests do. Today, I’ll hang for my sins. But I guarantee you, nothing will ever kill that damn greed inside.

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