The gardens outside Blackthorn Asylum were not often used for such events. Funerals and gardens of remembrance existed in every nation of Free World, as-well as the main garden of remembrance itself. But Vena had died in a battle to harm every nation. In truth, the Asylum was the only fitting place for her to rest. The only home she had ever known. 

Mizzy and Cal stood hand in hand beside the grave that had been dug only a few minutes walk from the main building of the asylum. Both had known her since the arrived in the town of Blackthorn with there father, Seven. Mizzy though had known her better having worked alongside her as a Nurse in the Asylum. "I can see the grave from my office" came voice from behind them. The voice was followed by the approaching figure that it stemmed from, Seven. "It seems about the best place for her. Fitting". 

Despite the words spoken of Vena resting on the grounds of the Asylum she had lived in, worked in and fought alongside her father, Randolf in, both Calcifer and Mizzy knew that her being somewhere she could be seen served another function. She had been created as the perfect zombie. The template that the 'smart zombies' had been based on. But she was independent. Alive. This didn't dispel fears however that here in Blackthorn Town especially, she wouldn't rise again. "Daddy Seven... I can't believe all this time she was with Randolf. I liked her" said Mizzy, a mixture of frustration and sadness in her eyes. "She wasn't to blame sweetie. She was as controlled by Randolf as I suspect he himself is being controlled. If it helps, I genuinely believe she felt something for us. She just wasn't able to understand right and wrong" seven replied offering comfort. Finally he added "Cal, take Mizzy in please son". With a nod Cal gave his father a hug and guided his wife away.

Seven looked down into the grave. He thought back to that first day, when he first arrived in the asylum. That he had been tasked with running an Asylum in an abandoned town would turn out to be the least surprising aspect of that day...

(Flashback 1: Meetings)

...Seven hung up the phone saying goodbye to his sister Melissa. The old worn down building ahead of him was not somewhere he wanted to walk around whilst distracted. The large steel gates creaked open as he pushed against them. "Blackthorn Asylum... What a shit tip" his eyebrows furrowed. It wasn't like him to swear, let alone express such judgemental comments. He closed his eyes, focusing. It was as if there was an emotional cloud hanging over the building that effected him. Either way, he had a job to do.

Searching the building and securing it had been a long winded, tiring and especially eery task. Padded cells with blood stained walls, restraints that still had rotten skin matted to the leather, even a strange item buried in one if the bed frames that later turned out to be a tooth. Of course the team he had coming in to clean and update the facility would complete most of the work, but he had to see it for himself first. He made his way down the large wooden staircase into the lobby when a chair tipping over caught his attention. The crashing sound echoed around and the sound didn't seem to stop. "Who is that?" Seven called out "show yourself!" He saw a blur of matted green and black hair cowering down behind the desk. Could a patient have escaped the evacuation? Not that he had yet clarified what had led to the towns abandonment. "I am not going to hurt you, please". Slowly two filthy slender hands emerged. He noted that the skin colour of one was slightly off from the other. It was also evident that teeth marks were slightly healing on one. 

She had watched the new man with fascination. He was clearly interested in her playground. Of course she knew it was an asylum but she had grown up here and to her it would always be her playground.  She knew the rule. She should run. Run back down to the hidden basement to her father. But this man looked interesting. And she could feel something dark in him, something that reminded her of her father. Slowly she emerged still in her nurses uniform. She had found it on her first exploration of the asylum and while overtime she had made some modifications it was still clear what it was.

Seven couldn't believe it. A nurse? "I'm..the new warden, I'm taking over this asylum. Who are you?" The girl, her beauty hidden behind make up and deep scars and dirt spoke finally " Vena...Nurse Vena".

(Flashback ends)

On the hillside, a few kilometres away from the asylum Randolf stood looking back at the Asylum, and through binoculars, at the gardens behind it. Everything died in Blackthorn. He had known that. His mother died. At his hands most people said, and while that was true it wasn't the full truth. But the more he tried to remember the full truth the more his head hurt. Not now. Now was for Vena. His daughter.

Everything died in Blackthorn. He had hoped that by creating life that was already dead as Vena was technically, this curse would fail. Yet there she lay. She had worked so hard for him, spying on those around her, yet he knew she liked them in her own way. He wanted to hate them. Hate Seven for fighting for blackthorn instead of just leaving. Hate Luna for being the one that sent her falling to her death. Hate the whole family for... It didn't matter. Because how could he. She had betrayed them and yet they buried her, mourned her. 

He took a small device from his pocket. It hovered and slowly floated towards the asylum. They had not been the ones that left her to fall, that could actually have saved her.  That had been Zero. Everything died in Blackthorn. And Now, mourning the loss of his daughter, he regretted the fact that he was the exception to that.

(Flashback 2: secrets)

Vena traveled down the secret passageway towards her fathers lab hidden deep below the asylum. The room stank of decaying flesh but Vena couldn't smell the stench. Her father stood behind a seated zombie, it's skull removed. He was tweaking various sections of the brain shaking his head in frustration. Vena waited patiently noting a drop of blood on her uniform. "You make a very pretty Nurse Vena" her fathers voice came as a shock. "It's funny my dear... You have not aged a day since the moment I resurrected you". He came from behind the zombie wiping his hands "and yet the same bio organic nanotechnology has never once since carried the same results. Not even a single ounce of intelligence". Vena had heard this story before, but she never grew tired of her fathers words. 

"The Temp'elars... They believe the zombies are all you. That you made them all" vena added. Randolf rolled his eyes "if only I did! Heck the residents of this town, the ones I infected and made into these drones, most of them crumbled away over seventy years ago!" He turned kicking the zombie to the ground "my estimates say that only forty percent of the zombies out there are the spawn if my virus. The Anubis Virus". Vena nodded, knowing this. She never did fully understand the part that came next. "The other sixty percent are spawns of this town. A town that doesn't want to wake up from its own nightmare". He brushed a hair behind Vena's ear "the blackthorn family is a history of horror... But you? Your my brightest day" he took her hand "come lets go home" he opened a hatch to an underground tunnel leading to the Blackthorn estate "so tell me, how many people did Seven kill or torture today? We must discover exactly why he never remembers..."

(Flashback ends)

Seven stood outside his office looking out of the corridor window looking out to the mound of dirt beneath which Vena was buried. And beyond. Behind him came the gentle footsteps of Luna and Mizzy. "He was here" said seven softly before turning to see them "Randolf came to see her buried" he nodded down to the grave site where a single black rose lay on the mound, the device that had carried it shattered to the side having self destructed. "Was she really evil?" Whispered Luna. Seven could see she still felt guilt for Vena's death. "I don't know anymore" seven whispered "and what concerns me most is, I don't know if it's that simple anymore". He smiled at the two, but his eyes lingered slightly on Mizzy despite answering Luna's question "what I know is, she wasn't always evil".

Seven walked into his office picking up the file on his desk. The file was old, the women's name Venus. He had found it, left on his desk before the funeral, though in reality it had been left there since Randolf and Vena had left that fateful day the war if the dead ended. 

(Flashback 3: Living on)

"Stay together girls!" Venus called out to her two daughters. She had looked forward to this day so much. A young mother, only in her early twenties now with the two girls aged three and four, Venus had come from an eccentric family, and had required time in an inpatient unit for help in addressing post natal depression. But today, she was out with her two girls and all the hard work had been worth it.

The circus was traveling various towns and had been the perfect place to take them. She had been so happy watching them play. "My two angels" she whispered, brushing her green died hair back. She smiled softly. It was the perfect moment.

(Flashback ends)

Seven read the file. Venus had died in a tragic accident at the circus. The two girls had fled, and when the eldest had been found she had been sent to live with relatives. Traumatised, however she became detached from reality and was eventually sent to a care home. The youngest was never found though it was suspected she hid out in the circus, possibly raised by some of its residents. 

Seven wiped a tear from his eye. For the third time he read the women's full name. Venus Lovejoy. Survived by her two daughters. Fizzy and Mizzy. 

He closed the file reading the note on the front:

"She wasn't bad. And neither am I.

Help me

Randolf Blackthorn"

Seven stood up pushing the intercom system "send Mizzy to come and see me please".

Down below Vena lay soundly in her grave. The nanotechnology that had resurrected her slowly fading sent one last image through her mind. Her daughters playing, and her Father, Randolf by her side.