Sula

Imagine a place perched high above a valley town, where the name 'Bottom' seems a contradiction—a place where the land is actually elevated, yet the people are socially placed at the bottom of society. This neighborhood, alive with the sounds of children’s laughter, the aroma of home-cooked food, and the quiet resilience of its inhabitants, is more than geography; it is a symbol of paradox. The Bottom is a community shaped by history, where black families have carved out a life amidst marginalization and the ever-looming presence of economic hardship. It is a place where the physical landscape mirrors the social landscape, where the hills are high but the opportunities are low.

Within this setting, life unfolds in complex ways. The neighborhood’s streets are lined with wooden houses, some weathered and worn, others patched with love and determination. The pear trees and chestnuts that once shaded the roads whisper stories of generations. Children play barefoot, their feet dusted with the earth’s ochre. Old men sit on stoops, their eyes filled with memories and quiet wisdom. Women tend gardens, their hands calloused from labor but gentle in care. This is a community that holds onto its traditions, its rituals, and its collective spirit.

One such ritual is National Suicide Day, a curious and somber event that originated from the mind of a war veteran struggling to make sense of the chaos and trauma he endured. This day, observed annually, is not a celebration of death but a communal confrontation with it—a way to acknowledge the pain that shadows their lives and to symbolically lay it to rest. This ritual encapsulates the community’s unique blend of dark humor and survival instinct, a testament to their resilience.

The Bottom’s story is one of contradictions and endurance. It is a place where the land’s name and position challenge expectations, where the people’s strength defies their circumstances, and where traditions emerge from the need to cope with harsh realities. As we begin our journey into this world, let us carry with us the understanding that the Bottom is not merely a location but a living metaphor for the struggles and triumphs of its people.

From this foundation, we move forward to meet the characters whose lives breathe life into the Bottom’s hills and roads, whose stories will illuminate the depths of friendship, identity, and community.