HARLOW'S END
©2000 Doug Giffin. All Rights Reserved.

ISSUE ONE Plot Synopsis

As the first issue begins, Elijah introduces us to the City and his life in its massive slum Lowtown (or "Harlow's End" to its residents). From his perspective, we see a crowd of onlookers gathered around the body of a murdered woman. At the scene, Elijah has his first encounter with Bartholomew, who is investigating the homicide. During their conversation, we get our first inkling of Elijah's special abilities.

We are introduced to Lilith, dancing at the Cancer Club, who immediately displays her fiery temper in an exchange with the club's owner: "That's the fuckin' last time I work the early shift for you, Rose. I don't care how short-handed you are. This is shit."

As he walks through Harlow's End, Elijah tells us more about his life and where he lives. Accosted by a follower of the Church of Nova Fortuna, Elijah is saved by Absalom's timely intervention. The boy then visits Magda, his surrogate mother and a Voodoo Queen. Through a newscast on her television set, we are told that the woman killed was Bishop Celesta Perfecta of the Church of Nova Fortuna. Elijah, eating in the kitchen, is not aware of the news. After he tells her about his encounter with the Church follower, she advise him to be careful: "You just don't be crossin' them Church people. They don't have no spiritual power, but they's dangerous just the same."

After a shower, Elijah leaves Magda's apartment, but not before she gives him a cryptic warning: "I can see the spirit Exu in you, Elijah. He is the youngest of spirits, and very mischievous."

Later, in Harlow's End nefarious Strip, Elijah is drumming up "business" when he is confronted by a former friend, Gabriel. "Gabriel," Elijah tells us. "I knew it was him by the sound of his voice. Hot air blown out over rotten teeth." Gabriel is another street hustler who has become infected with the Rot, his face pockmarked by the tell-tale signs of the sexually transmitted disease. Gabriel tells Elijah that he's lucky he doesn't have the disease, too. "Who knows? Maybe I did have luck," Elijah thinks. "But I also didn't have the Rot, so who gave a fuck?" After Gabriel becomes violent, Lilith intervenes and scares the hustler away.

Soon, Elijah is picked up by someone in an expensive car and taken to a lavish Hightown apartment building. Once there, the driver reveals herself as a beautiful older woman -- Aneste. Unbeknownst to Elijah, she is the spitting image of Bishop Perfecta.

Aneste's apartment is luxurious, and decorated with Voodoo paraphernalia. She tells him that she has not brought him there for sex, and adding to his confusion, asks him, "Don't you ever wonder where you get your ... special abilities? Your magnetism, your heightened senses? Your knack for 'reading' people?"

Before she can elaborate, she is shot from outside her window by a pneumo gun. "Don't let them get you, Elijah ...," she warns him as she dies. When a policeman suddenly bursts into the room, Elijah grabs Aneste's personal credit voucher, and -- accidentally -- a small felt gris-gris bag next to it. Faced with being accused of Aneste's murder, Elijah makes the only reasonable choice he can -- he leaps out of the window of the incredibly high building.