Everything was going to end tonight. Years of tireless investigation and searching for the truth would coalesce when he exposed her for the monster she really was. There was no denying it; she killed his sister. She was going to pay.
Micah took a cursory look at the case file.
  Name:Renée Monroe.
Age: 29
Occupation: Nurse
Evidence: witness accounts, email logs, text messages, and the autopsy report.
Micah turned to his sister’s autopsy report and gleaned over the chemical analysis. Most of the results turned-up standard, except the enormous amount of Digoxin found in her blood. Digoxin toxicity had killed her.

Renée had worked as a nurse at the regional hospital during the time when his twin sister, Maria, mysteriously died. Maria was born with a weak heart, so the examiners and his family easily accepted her death was caused by a natural arrhythmia that lead to sudden cardiac arrest.  It didn’t make any sense though, since she had shown significant improvement after she had been on her heart medication for a while. Her heart rate was normal and her rhythm was regular. Why would she have suddenly died then? One day he realized that Renée had handled Maria’s medication, Lanoxin, which is the trade name for Digoxin.
    At first Micah thought it could have been an accident, overdoses aren’t unheard of. Then again, he had never trusted Maria’s friend Renée. Ever since she was little, Renée was adored by everyone that knew her, yet he knew what she was capable of. From elementary to high school, she had a knack for getting people to do what she wanted. Sure she was beautiful, and that gave her a lot of leeway, but she was also disturbingly manipulative. Her charisma and silver tongue garnered respect and attention from both her peers and adults. Renée could understand how each individual ticked and them to do what she wanted. Even more surprising was that she could control others without making them feel victimized. People just seemed to accept her social power and influence. On the rare occasions that there were people that didn’t like her, Renée knew how to systematically ruin their reputation. It was easy for her to identify other people’s weaknesses and be able to wait patiently for them to say or do the wrong thing. At that point, she would criminalize the individual by exaggerating their wrongdoings and turn others on them. Since she covered her tracks well, half the time the victim didn’t even know it was her. The only reason he could see through her act was because she didn’t hide her malicious behavior from him. Throughout their childhoods, Renée bullied Micah and got him into trouble countless times. No one believed him of course because she was such a good liar. Eventually her threats to him telling on her prompted him to give up on ever getting help.
Even if somebody believed him and knew who she really was, no one could do anything about it. Her father was the county sheriff. He could easily dismiss any complaints about his daughter. All the police were corrupt; they ignored and covered up anything that would damage their reputation. There are rumors that they have allies in the state and national governments to protect them as well. As long as she had her daddy behind her, Renée could get away with anything that wasn’t a blatant felony. She was a dangerous enemy and  Micah knew it was best to stay out of her way.
It didn’t take long until his mistrust developed into suspicion. Following Maria’s death, Renée became a source of comfort and help for his grieving parents. She had always been a good family friend, but soon she began to fill the hole that Maria left behind.  She showed up every night to family dinners, coming early to help his mother cook and staying late to assist in cleanup. Renée and his parents talked endlessly; they  called each other frequently. In time, she and his older brother Jacob started dating.  His family barely mentioned his sister; they acted like she never existed. Micah felt like he had to constantly remind them to love her. Soon enough, Renée used his anger to create a rift between him and his family.  She was always setting him up to look like the bad guy, saying the right things to get him enraged.  They clashed on even the littlest of things such as ; it got to the point that all day, everyday, was an uphill battle for him. Their fights would end with Jacob taking her side and his parents scolding his “unacceptable behavior”. He always had to run off before they could see him break down in tears. She knew he didn’t like her, so she wanted him gone. He could feel it in her disdainful, penetrating stare.
She got her wish.  After six weeks of Hell, he moved out into the city.  Micah got a job as a writer for a news site. He mainly wrote articles on scientific studies or various criminal cases that he got from working with the FBI. In his spare time, he wrote detective stories inspired from his interviews. He couldn’t help but include villains whom resembled Renée. Even without her there, she seemed to haunt him like a ghost. Outside work, Micah’s social life was practically nonexistent. He did little other than spend time in his apartment writing his columns and stories. He had two or three work friends, but rarely went out. He was too overwhelmed  with depression and anger. It took him nearly three months until he even talked to his family again. He still couldn’t bring himself to see them even after ten months.
  Three weeks ago, a particularly emotional day at work almost cost him his job. Micah flipped out over the harsh criticisms that his boss had given him on a column. That night, he  decided to reorganize his apartment to get over the stress. When cleaning out a box that he failed to unpack after moving, he came across a necklace that Maria had given him years ago. Looking at it reminded him of the fond memories he had with his sister when they were young. They would go swimming in the lake at summer camp, spend long weekends exploring the woods in their backyard for treasure and build tunnel forts when it snowed. Maria made him promise they would have each other’s back until they grew old.  It took everything in him to keep himself from sobbing. He had failed her; she was dead and he couldn’t protect her.  As he laid there, looking at the necklace despondently,  he had a sudden epiphany.  Maria didn’t deserve what had happened to her,  neither her death nor her being forgotten. There was no doubt she was murdered; her health had drastically improved. Micah could sense there was something wrong with Renée. She moved on from her best friend too quick; it wasn’t normal. There was no one else who could possibly murder his sister. The thought of confronting Renée caused his stomach to churn. He was terrified. Still, he had to do something; he couldn’t let his sister down. She needed to be avenged.
  After a day or so of contemplation, Micah decided it was best to figure out what Renée’s motive could have been. It didn’t take a brain surgeon to know Renée was somehow behind his sister’s  death, but he needed to prove it.  After making a deal with a computer savvy co-worker , it took little effort to hack into their emails. Micah began to notice conspicuous emails between Renée and Maria that started a few weeks before his sister died.
Apparently, they were fighting about Renee’s previous boyfriend, Sean, whom had committed suicide a day or so before then.  Micah knew Sean pretty well; he had been friends with Maria since middle school. He was a relatively tall and skinny kid, with dirty blond hair that went slightly passed his ears. He was smart too, getting straight A’s throughout highschool and eventually becoming the Salutatorian. Despite his intelligence, Sean was extremely passive and quiet, making him easy to control. About five and a half months before Maria died, Renée and Sean had started a relationship which had seemed to be going pretty well.
From what the emails said, Renée was becoming jealous and believed that Maria was trying to move on Sean. She even accused Maria of hooking up with him behind her back. Maria and Sean tried to deny her claims, but Renée wouldn’t have any of it. She forced Sean to stop all contact with all female friends, especially Maria. Sean was too weak-willed to stand up to her unreasonable demands.  This went on for two and a half weeks. Soon enough, Sean desperately reach out for help from Maria. He revealed to her the horrors that went on in his relationship. Renée was becoming cruel and abusive; her vitriolic words corroding away his self-esteem and sanity. She placed him under house arrest and began physically abusing him. Eventually his fear had overridden his weakness and he attempted to end the relationship. Renée had lost control and threw a fit. She threatened to kill herself and frame him for her death if he dared to break up with her.
Maria was horrified and shocked to discover what her best friend had become. In an effort to repair their friendship and save Sean, Maria tried to talk to Renée and understand what was happening to her. She still had hope that Renée was the monster she appeared to be. Renée mistook her attempt at peace as a sign of hostility. She threw a knife at Maria, missing her head by a few inches. Scared for her life, Maria tried to call the police, but, not surprisingly, they chose not to believe her.  Two days later, Sean mysteriously fell from his third story apartment. It was becoming increasingly obvious to Maria that Renée couldn’t be helped and that she would come after her next. It appeared that Maria tried to contact our parents and I, but she was somehow unable to reach us.  Maria’s last email begged Renée to leave her alone and to get help.  That was the day Maria died.
Micah could feel his tears welling up as he read his sister’s desperate cry for help. Renee’s secret was safe, she still had her freedom, but Maria now had no hope for a future.  There was no other explanation, Maria must have been murdered.
Now that Renee had a motive, it would be easier to prove she was guilty of the crime.  All he had left to do was figure out how she killed his sister. He interviewed the FBI often for the site, so he made friends high up in the system. Using his  contacts he was able to get a hold of Maria’s autopsy report from the evidence files.  It didn’t take long until he discovered the extremely high  level of Digoxin in her bloodstream. The presence itself wasn’t the problem; Maria’s medication, Lanoxin, used Digoxin to treat her heart condition. In high enough doses, the drug could  generate heart arrhythmias that result in death from cardiac arrest. It occurred to him that someone must have forced her to take the fatal amount of meds since Maria wouldn’t have been dumb enough to over medicate herself to that level.  Renee’s occupation as a nurse would’ve meant she was aware of the side effects of Maria’s medication. There was no doubt in his mind that she made his sister do it.  Now he just had to convince his family she was guilty.

He started the car and pulled out of the parking lot. It would take him 45 minutes to reach his parents’ house; he would have until then to contrive a reason for snooping through Renée’s emails, otherwise they surely wouldn’t believe him.  Last week, his parents sent a voice message, hoping he would come to dinner on Sunday. Normally he would decline their invitation; he was anxious and afraid of facing them and Renée. This time, it was his chance to convince them that Maria’s death was anything but natural. He reluctantly told his parents he would come, which they became overjoyed upon hearing the news.  He didn’t want to admit it, but he missed them in spite of the conflicts that took place almost a year ago. The main thing holding him back though was her.In the short time after his sister’s death, Renee’s false comfort bought his family’s affection. Now she was engaged to Jacob, making it unlikely that they would see through her treachery.  It was going to take more than a few emails to convince them that she was guilty; they loved her too much. It disgusted him that a despicable woman like Renée could infiltrate his family and gain their love and affection.  She was their daughter’s killer, and she was getting rewarded for it.                
Micah turned on to the highway and headed north towards his parents’ house. He lowered the window, letting in the cool, moist air. As he drove through the long, windy roads the twilight flooded through the trees. He felt himself getting nervous, worrying that everything will go wrong and that nothing would change. If all his hardwork and effort failed him, he didn’t know if he could recover. he looked towards the setting sun in the distance. The crimson light bathed the road, giving Micah the sense of driving on a river of blood. He felt a rush of adrenaline through his body; his hands pulsating with the beat of his heart. The light and the trees seemed to flicker as Micah raced by in his car. Feelings of  wrath and fury overwhelmed his thoughts. All the muscles in his body tensed up in preparation for the coming storm. He was still afraid, but his determination was going to pull him through this.  He was ready for this.
* * * * * * * * * * *
Micah slowly drove through the quiet suburban neighborhood; the crackle of the leaves sounding like broken bones under the tires. It was two nights before Halloween and the homes were decorated with the ghoulish sights of skeletons and pumpkins. He was never a fan of the holiday, his anxiety and fear made him dread all things horror. The memories of his childhood were filled with cruel and terrifying pranks that his  brothers, Jacob and Adam, would play on him.  Maria had always been there to brave his fears with him.
Adam could be a sly trickster at times, which irritated Micah as he anticipated what his brother might do when he got there. Regardless, his brother only did it out of playful fun and brotherly love. On the other hand, Jacob was a twisted freak who had no problem beating him up for his own entertainment. He always knew how to play on Micah’s fears and find the best way to disturb and terrify him. It was no wonder Jacob and Renée were going to get married; they were perfect for each other.
His car veered around the corner, coming into view of his parents’ massive house. Along with being the wealthiest family in the neighborhood, they also had the most “Halloween Spirit.” The opulence of the house contrasted with the disturbing placement of eviscerated corpses all over the front lawn. Micah looked away in revulsion; his parents had always had a grotesque sense of humor.
Micah warily backed his car up the driveway and took his keys out from the ignition . He stood still, wondering if it wasn’t too late to go home and forget everything. His determination and anger was  being replaced by fear and anxiety.
“It doesn’t matter anyway; they would have never believed me,” he sighed as he slowly turned his key back into the car.
“Hey I would’ve thought it took more than corpses to send you running to the hills,” replied a sly voice behind him.
Micah twisted back like a startled cat. His heart nearly pumped out of his chest, until he recognized his brother, Adam, who emerged from the darkness with a sneer on his face. When his breathing slowed down and he shakily removed his hands from the steering wheel, Micah inched out of his seat and gave his brother a menacing glare. Adam, who had been laughing hysterically, immediately ceased and flashed an playful apologetic smile.
“ Oh come on, it was only a harmless prank,” he said with a smirk. “How can you be so serious on a night like Halloween? Loosen up and try to have some fun for once.”
Micah’s expression softened, but his body remained tense from the scare.
“Why do have such a nuisance? You should know I don’t like your crazy pranks.”
“Aww you’re no fun,” Adam gibed. His expression turned to regret when he noticed the anxious look on Micah’s face. “I’m sorry… I know its been tough and all and I didn’t mean-”
“It’s fine, don’t worry about it. I’m only staying for an hour and then I’m gone. Is Renée here?” Micah nervously glanced towards the house.
Adam’s face twisted up in a look of confusion. “Nope, she isn’t supposed to be here for at least another half an hour. Had some medical reports she needed to wrap up. Jacob’s coming with her.What’s this all about?”
Micah felt uneasy about divulging his plans just yet. This game needed to be played just right; he didn’t want it to end before it had even begun.
Adam gave him a suspicious look. He noticed his hesitation and the apprehensive look on his face. He needed to come up with an explanation and fast.
“Renee and I had some, um, things to discuss,” he began. “You see I’ve  had some joint pain in my knee and I wanted to know if she could do anything about it.”
“You’re a terrible liar.” Adam replied. “ You and I both know that you and Renée would be in different galaxies if you got the chance. Why do you REALLY want to see Renée?”
“Forget I said anything. It’s no big deal.” Micah could feel everything he planned slipping away.
Adam’s attitude seemed to brighten up. “Fine. That’s  your business. I won’t ask questions, that is, unless you stay the whole night.”
Micah could feel himself getting sick again. He didn’t know if how he would possibly survive a night back at his house. There really wasn’t much of a choice though. He couldn’t afford to let Adam keep pestering him about why he was here. Anyway, his brother looked excited to see him again and he didn’t want to let him down.
“Okay, it’s a deal then,” he responded.
“YES!” Adam cheered as he fist bumped Micah.
The air started to get chilly and Adam looked towards the front door, obviously wanting to get out of the cold.
“How about we walk inside. I know Mom and Dad have been eager to see you. You know since we’ve barely seen you since…” Adam looked uncomfortable just saying the words.
“Since she died,”  he said bluntly. There was no use talking circles around it; Maria was gone.
“Yeah.” He turned towards the house and started up the driveway.
Micah stood still, wondering if he should follow his brother. Adam looked back him expectantly. Slowly, Micah walked towards Adam, whom awaited at the front door.
  As he trudged past the front yard, he forced himself to look away from the disemboweled props that were laid upon the ground. Even though it was too dark for him to tell, he imagined pools of blood flowing from the bodies, drenching the ground and his shoes. The wind started to pick up; its force blowing leaves across the yard. The candles in the Jack O’ Lanterns flickered, making the pumpkin heads blink as they watched him approach the front door.
“Mom and Dad have spent the past week doing nothing but talk about you,” Adam whispered without looking at Micah. “They’ve missed having you here. I know we haven’t all been on the best of terms since everything’s happened, but promise me to enjoy tonight. For them.”
Micah noticed his brother’s joyful glow absent from his face. He loved his brother and it pained him to see him so heartbroken from their fractured relationship.
  If only they had believed me from the start, then it wouldn’t have had to be like this.
They opened the door and entered into the foyer.  Micah was taken aback at how at home he was as he look around the room. The old pictures of him and his siblings were still hanging on the wall to right.  Mom’s beautiful persian rug still lay at the base of the stairs. Even the glistening chandelier looked familiar. He  expected everything to feel strange and foreign, as if him not being here would somehow change the essence of the house. It surprised him that the place he once dreaded now gave him a sense of comfort and belonging.
“Mom! Dad! Guess who’s here!” Adam gleefully screamed at the top of his lungs.
As if on cue, his parents bolted from around the corner, nearly running straight into the wall. When they composed themselves and they just stood there and  gazed with awe at the son they hadn’t seen in ages.
Feelings overwhelmed Micah as he looked back at his parents.  It had been nearly ten months since he last saw them. He didn’t realize how much he missed his family, despite his anger. He couldn’t contain himself as he rushed into his parents’ arms with tears rolling down his cheeks.
“I’m so so sorry,” He sobbed. “ I wanted to see you all, but… I wasn’t sure if I could.”
“It’s okay, you’re here now.” His mother assured through smiling tears.
“My boy’s home, that’s all that matters.” His dad was embracing him with a warm hug.
Adam joined them in their group hug.  Micah couldn’t help but sob as his family surrounded him with their affection.  All his hatred and fury seemed to melt away as he reconnected with the people he forgot to love. He realized he wasn’t alone in all of this, they still loved him  and would protect him.  For a few short moments he forgot all the pain he suffered in the past year.  Renee and his mission felt like distant memories. Even Maria, his own sister, was forgotten in this moment.
A loud and disorderly knock sounded from the front door.
Adam straightened up and headed towards the door. “Alright, alright we’re coming!” he yelled.
Micah let go of his family and wiped away his tears.  He felt his stomach drop. The rapturous feelings of a moment ago ebbed as his family left him to answer the knock.
“Hello!” his mother answered as she opened the door.
Adam and his parents proceeded to greet Renée and Jacob, whom were standing outside the door.  Renee, after graciously embracing Adam and his parents, walked inside and looked straight Micah with a nonchalant glance.While stunningly attractive, her features gave her a chilling impression. Her piercing, green eyes sent shivers down his spine. The way her scarlet hair fell upon her face reminded him of blood trickling down a corpse’s body. Her appearance was beautifully revolting.  Her auburn hair was tied up in a ponytail and her lower face wrapped up in a wool scarf. Jacob stood at her side beaming.
“Micah said you had some things to talk about.” Adam looked at her jokingly.
Renee’s emotionless expression turned into a menacing grin.
“Yes we do.” She replied insidiously