The Mercies

Maren dreams about a beached whale. Men arrive to kill and butcher the whale before it dies on its own.

Mamma (Maren’s mother), Diinna, and Maren mend a sail before the devastating storm. When the storm hits, the men are at sea and the women are working in the home, screaming in fright. As the storm ceases, the women gather by the sea and watch their men’s boat capsize.

A snowstorm hits after the storm at sea, trapping the women inside. With no man around to bank the hearths, their fires go out. When the women can finally gather together again, they discover that of the 53 males in their community, only 13 remain—all children or elders. Though their way of life centers on the sea, the women discuss leaving. Maren feels trapped.