The Undertaking of Hart and Mercy

The Birdsall family celebrates their victory over Cunningham. Suddenly, Lillian’s water breaks, and she announces that the baby is on the way. However, as they scramble to prepare for the birth, Twyla and Frank arrive and tell Duckers that there has been a major incident in Tanria; all marshals are needed. The undertakers are also required to open for this emergency. They do not know exactly what is happening, but all the drudges have dropped dead for no apparent reason, and there will be an enormous intake of bodies overnight. Zeddie and Roy go to help Mercy.

At the dock of Birdsall & Son, marshals are already waiting with five bodies, and they warn that more are on the way. Mercy and the others get to work, storing and prepping the bodies. They work nonstop all night. At one point, Alma arrives to ask if Mercy has seen Hart and reveals that no one can find him. With growing fear and suspicion, Mercy tells Alma to look in Sector 28. Then she forces herself to focus as exhaustion sets in. Roy eventually retreats to his office to rest, but Mercy does not stop working. Later that night, Danny bursts in to announce that Lillian has safely given birth to a baby girl named Emma. Then Alma returns, her face grim, and tells Mercy that they found Hart and that he has “sailed the Salt Sea” (367).

Mercy recalls the numb sense of calm that came over her when her mother died. As Alma announces Hart’s death, she feels the same way now. She mechanically works as Alma and Duckers bring in Hart’s body. Alma warns that he is “in bad shape” (369). They move his body to the prep table. Mercy insists on doing the work herself, though she is screaming inside. Once she is alone in the room, she removes Hart’s clothing to inspect his injuries. Alma leaves to tell Diane of Hart’s death.

A noise interrupts Mercy, and she goes to the door to see Horatio and another nimkilim arguing and wrestling over an envelope. They argue about whose responsibility it is to deliver it. The rabbit, Bassareus, gives Mercy the letter, explaining that it was found among Hart’s possessions. Horatio and Bassareus leave, and Mercy reads the letter, in which Hart apologizes for his lies and weaknesses. He says that she has made him a better man. He also declares that his heart belongs to her, although he knows that he does not deserve her. He hopes that she will one day love someone who is worthy of her. Clutching the letter, Mercy weeps.

The narrative shifts to Hart’s perspective as he exists in a liminal space. Hart sneaks a cookie off the counter behind his mother’s back and darts out of the farmhouse door. His dog, Gracie, runs alongside him. Suddenly, Bill approaches but explains that he is not really Bill. Hart’s mind has given this entity Bill’s appearance because it is easier for him to understand than the reality. The figure with Bill’s appearance explains that the real Bill does not want to see Hart, because he fears that Hart will not forgive him.

The man who looks like Bill says he is Hart’s father, the Warden. Hart realizes that he has died, which means that he was mortal after all. The Warden says that he has never understood why humans are always shocked or angry when they die when death is a natural part of life. The Warden explains that he wanted to understand the appeal of life, so he “dressed [him]self up in flesh and blood and tried it out for a while” (386). He discovered that living was painful, both physically and spiritually. He experienced an inner pain that followed him wherever he went. Then one day, he met a woman and knew that he could love her if he tried. When he stayed and loved her, the inner pain disappeared.

However, the other Gods were angry with him for abandoning his post. The Warden had left Grandfather Bones in charge of ushering souls through the door, but Grandfather Bones was deaf and could not hear the souls knocking. After five months, Grandmother Wisdom dragged the Warden back to his post. By then, 472 souls had been locked out of the House and were trapped in Tanria. When souls become lost, they get confused and want to cling to life. At first, this seemed to be only a minor problem, as the souls were safely trapped in Tanria. However, 25 years ago, humans opened the portal into Tanria, and the drudges began to manifest.

The Warden says that the house that Hart saw was not the House of the Unknown God, but Hart’s personal entrance, because his fate was always to die in Tanria. However, when Hart opened this door, he became a conduit, pulling the souls in and fixing the mistake that his father had made.

Now, Hart tries to accept his death, but he is sad and disappointed when he thinks about leaving Mercy behind. The Warden comforts him, saying that although Hart is not immortal, he is allowed to have one more life. The Warden says, “You get two deaths to die, little demigod, one from me and one from your mother” (390). Hart leans against his father, who lifts him like a child and carries him to bed. Hart feels his mother kiss him on the forehead and falls asleep.

Mercy cleans Hart’s wounds. However, just as she begins, Alma, Diane, and Duckers arrive, and they all gather in Roy’s office to hear Hart’s final wishes. Roy explains that Hart has paid for the most expensive funeral arrangements that they offer and has requested cremation. Mercy does not understand why he would pay for the most expensive boat only to then cremate it. Then she realizes that this was Hart’s way of helping the business stay afloat. The arrangements specify that his key should go to Alma and Diane. However, all his possessions and the contents of his bank account go to Mercy. Alma laughs with delight, knowing that Hart rarely spent his wages and has a small fortune in savings.

Mercy then takes Diane and Duckers to see Hart and say goodbye. Alma cannot bear to see him again, and Diane sobs. Duckers can barely look at Hart’s body; he cries and says that Hart was like a second father to him. He is angry that Hart has left, just like his real father did. Suddenly, Hart’s wounds begin to close, and color returns to his face. After a few moments, he begins to breathe again. With shocked delight, everyone rejoices, although Mercy knows that he did not want to be immortal and feels guilty for celebrating. They take Hart to Mercy’s bedroom so that he will not wake up to find himself on the prep table.

Hart wakes, confused. Diane dashes out to tell the others. Now alone, Hart sees that he is in Mercy’s bed, but he cannot recall how he got there. He is clad only in boxers. He remembers Mercy’s words that she never wanted to see him again and panics. Alma and Diane return and see him struggling to get out of bed. Behind them, Duckers and Zeddie watch. Zeddie says that Mercy is working and leaves to fetch her. Hart screams that he has to leave because he is not allowed to see her, but the others stop him.

Then Mercy walks in, and the others leave. Hart apologizes for being there and promises to leave as soon as he can find clothes. Mercy explains that they had to incinerate his clothes. Suddenly, his memory returns, and he realizes that he died. Mercy apologizes, saying they now have proof that he is immortal. She knows that he does not want to be immortal, but she is just happy that he is alive. Hart recalls his conversation with his father and assures her that is not immortal, but she does not understand. Again, he offers to leave.

Mercy shows him the last letter that he wrote, explaining that Bassareus found it and gave it to her. Mercy says that he should be sorry for not understanding that she would forgive him eventually and for not pushing past her anger to come see her. He should also be sorry for putting himself in danger and getting himself killed. They cry and kiss, proclaiming their love for one another. Suddenly, they realize that they have an audience; Alma, Diane, Duckers, Zeddie, Horatio, and Bassareus are standing in the doorway, grinning.

Hart walks through town; he is now the new sheriff of Eternity. His new dog, Trudie, walks by his side, and he heads to Roy’s house. In Roy’s kitchen, Zeddie and Duckers are kissing and do not notice Hart as he steals a cookie off the counter. He cheerfully reminds them about Alma and Diane’s barbecue that night, startling them. As he leaves, Duckers calls out that someone claimed to see a dragon flying in Tanria, but Hart insists that dragons are a myth.

Back outside, Hart sees Danny walking with baby Emma in a stroller. They both head to the newly named Mercy’s Undertakings. Hart greets Lillian in the office and continues through the building. At the docks, Bassareus and Horatio are working as the new deliverers, carrying the “dearly departed” to their final resting places or their families. Hart finds Mercy listening to music and dancing; she is wearing the same yellow dress that she wore the first time he met her. He sneaks up behind her, and she laughs.