Dead Man Walking By MandyLeigh87.pdf

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Dead Man Walking By MandyLeigh87
http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7297320/1/
Dear Mr. Masen,
My name is Isabella Swan and I'm a graduate student at the University working
on a research paper for my Criminology class. Our assignment is to research and
present a paper on a subject of our choosing. I've chosen you Mr. Masen. I
understand that your current situation limits visitors, but I would like a chance to
speak with you. I look forward to hearing from you and the opportunity to learn
more about you.
Sincerely,
Isabella Swan
August
Convicted Killer Edward Masen Set to Be Executed Next Year.
I set down the newspaper and glanced up at my professor. His eyebrow was
cocked above his thick-rimmed glasses as he stared at me like I was bat shit
crazy.
"And what makes you want to do your research paper on this fella?" He nodded
to the newspaper. "I mean can't you just pick Dahmer or BTK like the other
students?"
"Dr. Cantone, this man has less than a year to live. We normally don't get to
study someone like this, especially before their death. And he's housed less than
an hour away; I could try to get in for an interview. I would be talking to the
source, instead of just reading about him in books. He's…my age and is from the
area. Please let me do this."
Our big project for the year was a research project on a criminal of our choice.
We had to analyze their behavior, lifestyle, childhood, ect. I wanted to do it on
Edward Masen. Since it was such a high profile local case, my professor was
hesitant to approve it.
I was in high school when it all happened. Everyone said he was a bad seed, been
in and out of foster-homes since he was a young kid. He ended up with the
Cullens when he was about fourteen and for some reason they refused to give up
on him. Everyone said that if he had any chance at all, the Cullens would be the
ones to give it to him. That was until he killed that girl.
That girl was Tanya Denali. She was a senior at Forks High the year I transferred
in from Phoenix. Everyone knew she was dating James Volturi. It wasn't a
surprise. Their families were both rolling in money and had the attitude to go
along with it.
Edward barely graduated two years before I even got there so I'd never met the
guy before, but apparently he was obsessed with Tanya. Everyone saw her
publicly reject him at some party and the next day she was found strangled at
the local community center. It was an open and shut case according to my dad.
He'd retired from the post of sheriff two months before it all happened, but he
was still a respected member of the community. Edward was arrested and
convicted less than a year after Tanya died. Dad said the speedy conviction may
have had something to do with James' father being a judge, but they had a lot of
evidence against him, including testimony from at least two different people who
saw her with him after the party.
It always felt like I was watching one of those crime dramas on TV. All I ever
knew about Edward Masen I'd heard through rumors or what they said in the
media. And now I wanted to hear it from him.
"Okay," Dr. Cantone said. "Miss Swan, I'm approving your request."
"Fantastic." I smiled as I waited for him to sign the approval. Once he was
finished, I went back to my apartment and got started. I pulled up all of the
newspaper articles I could find on him so I could refresh myself a little on the
case. The newspapers did some shitty reporting, but I at least got the gist. I
didn't want to taint myself before I spoke to Edward. I didn't want to sway him or
make him feel like I was against him. I wanted to be truly unbiased.
The next day I wrote my first letter to him. I tried to sound professional, even
though I was anxious.
Dear Mr. Masen,
My name is Isabella Swan and I'm a graduate student at the University working
on a research paper for my Criminology class. Our assignment is to research and
present a paper on a subject of our choosing. I've chosen you Mr. Masen. I
understand that your current situation limits visitors, but I would like a chance to
speak with you. I look forward to hearing from you and the opportunity to learn
more about you.
Sincerely,
Isabella Swan
As soon as I completed my letter to Mr. Masen I sent the letter and a self-
addressed envelopeout the next day. For the next two weeks, I waited by the
door watching for the mail to come. Every day I was disappointed so I stopped
looking for it.
"Hey Bella," one of my neighbors called as they passed.
"Hey Ben." I smiled and pulled the mail from my mailbox. I shuffled through the
usual items and finally came to the last envelope. I recognized my handwriting
right away and my heart jumped into my throat. He wrote back.
My fingers shook as I tore at the paper. There was one piece of paper inside. And
it was the same one I'd sent him. I scanned my own letter until I noted the
different handwriting at the bottom.
Not interested.
Not interested? I sighed and shook my head. This couldn't be it. I wanted to
interview Edward Masen. The least he could do was talk to me for five minutes. It
wasn't like he had anywhere else to be.
I wrote him two more times and each time he sent them back, except didn't even
bother to write on them. My best friend Rose was a journalism student and like
any other annoying, persistent person in her profession, she had a plan.
"Go talk to his family. I mean you lived in their hometown Bells. Explain what
you're doing." She shrugged. "They might help you talk to him."
September
I tugged at the ends of the long button up shirt I was wearing. Rose let me
borrow it so I could look nice when I went to the Cullen's. It wasn't that I didn't
have any nice clothes, but it just wasn't me. I was more of a jean and t-shirt kind
of girl and this whole get up made me feel ridiculous.
I smoothed my hair back to its ponytail as I stepped up to their front door. I'd
debated calling them, telling them why I was coming, but I chickened out. I
cleared my throat and knocked softly against the door.
Their house was fairly large, especially compared to the others in the area. There
were a couple of different cars in the driveway so I knew that at least someone
was at home.
After a few moments, someone pulled aside the curtains from the front window.
They were still shadowed in darkness so I didn't know who it was, but it was
definitely someone. I knocked again.
The door finally creaked open and a girl around my age peeked her head out. She
was pale, white enough that her dark hair looked jet black against it. It was cut
short, erratic like she'd cut it herself. She glanced at me and then down at the
ground.
"Can I help you?" She asked timidly.
"Possibly. My name is Isabella Swan. I was just wondering if I could talk to you
about Edward?"
Her eyes flickered up to mine. "Edward?" Her voice perked up a little.
"Alice?" A voice called from behind her. "Who's that?"
Alice cowered back into herself as a woman appeared behind her. I assumed it
was Mrs. Cullen. When Alice didn't speak, I decided to introduce myself.
"Hi Mrs. Cullen." I smiled. "My name is Isabella and I wanted to speak with you
guys about Edward. See I'm doing a…." I reached into my bag to pull out our
assignment and a business card, but I didn't have the chance.
"You stupid reporters," she sneered. "Can't leave us alone for nothing!" She
yelled. She slammed the door in my face before I could get another word out.
"I'm…not a reporter," I whispered to no one. I stood there in shock for a moment
or two before pulling out a business card. I glanced at the window where I'd seen
Alice a moment before and found her watching me again. I managed to smile and
slipped the business card underneath their porch mat. I figured if anyone would
talk to me, she would be it.
The curtain closed again as I got in the car and drove away. When I got back to
my place, Rose brought over take out and I told her the whole story.
"Dumb bitch," she said.
"I guess I don't blame her. I mean they lost Edward too. I know he's just in
prison right now, but they still lost him. He might as well be dead." I shrugged.
"Well he will be in a few months."
My phone rang, registering an unknown number, and I held my breath. Was this
Alice?
"Hello?" I answered.
"Is this Isabella?"
I recognized her voice right away, but I played dumb. "Yes, how can I help you?"
"This is um…this is Alice. You were at my house earlier."
"Hi Alice." I glanced over at Rose and she started fake clapping.
"Are you a reporter?"
"No, I'm actually a student."
"I can meet with you tomorrow if you want. At the diner around noon."
"Sure! That's great." I smiled. "Thank you Alice."
The line went dead and I screamed. This was it. This was the break I needed.
I arrived at the diner the next day almost a half hour early. I was surprised to
find her already there.
She sat at a booth over in the corner, tugging nervously at her sleeves. Every
once in a while I noticed the other patrons glance over at her and whisper to their
companions.
I cleared my throat and smiled as I stepped towards her. "Hello, Alice."
"Isabella." She nodded.
"Please, call me Bella." I sat down across from her. "Thank you so much for
meeting with me."
"My mother can't know I'm here. She doesn't like people asking about my
brother."
"I'm not a reporter, I promise." I explained the details of my assignment and that
I'd chosen to write my paper on Edward. She listened closely while she counted
the sugar packets over and over again.
"He's not the monster they make him out to be you know," she said softly as I
finished.
"Were you adopted as well, Alice?" I asked.
"I met Edward when I was ten years old, when the Cullens brought him home.
Before that I'd been in two different foster homes. My mama killed herself when I
was a baby and I never met my father." Her eyes drifted out the window.
"Edward was my best friend."
"Do you get to visit him often?"
"Family can visit more easily than others…" She drew invisible circles on the
tabletop. "He doesn't like us to go up there. Doesn't want us to be bothered."
"So he's ready to die?"
"No one's ready to die for someone else's mistake." She glared at me. It was only
sensible for her to believe that he didn't do it. She said it; he was her best friend,
her brother. Nobody wants to believe that someone they love is evil.
We talked a little bit more about Edward and his childhood, at least what Alice
knew about him. He got in trouble a lot, almost went to Juvie one time for
stealing his foster father's car. It was hard to reconcile his record and how Alice
thought of him. Even when she spoke of his indiscretions, she did it with a
sparkle in her eye. He was her hero, regardless of the fact that he was sitting on
death row for murder.
Alice's phone rang while we sat and finished up our drinks. Our bills sat
untouched at the edge of the table and I was so full that I thought I was going to
vomit.
"Mom?" Her eyes widened in panic. "Yeah I was just stopping to get some take
out, do you want anything? Yeah, I'm on my way home." She hung up the phone
and frantically started rifling through her wallet. "I have to go." She laid some
money on the table and darted from the seat. She was across the room and out
the door before I could say another word.
I sighed and grabbed my purse to pay. As I did, I noticed a small card on the
floor, about the size of a driver's license. And that was exactly what it was. Alice
Brandon's driver's license. I'd just found my way in.
October
I was so fucking nervous before I left for the prison that Rose offered me a Xanax
to calm me down. I pushed her hand away and tightened the scarf around my
head instead. I snuggled into my jacket and pulled the sunglasses over my eyes.
Anyone who knew her would know that I wasn't Alice Brandon. I sure as hell
didn't have the skinny frame that she did. My hair was hidden well enough that
no one would now it was the opposite of her short hair. I was just hoping it was
good enough to pass.
I traveled to the prison in silence, wanting to be completely alone with my
thoughts. When I reached the outer gates, they asked for my name and I.D.
before allowing me to pass through.
I was met by a tall and towering fence before me. Barbed wire was wrapped
around the top, which met a large tower at each corner. I parked the car and
walked up to the front door. There was a large sign marked "Visitors" that hung
above a check in station.

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