Welcome to the Spautz family business, embalmers since 1857.

Death has been part of young Gabriel Spautz’s life as far back as he can remember. At the age of four, he examined his first stiff. At the age of six, he was familiar with all of the cemeteries in the country. At the age of fifteen, and to his family’s great satisfaction, he could prepare a corpse for burial.

And yet, despite (or perhaps due to) all of his father’s efforts, this is not Gabriel’s calling. He sincerely tries to become an undertaker, but he simply is not cut out for it. At the Training Center for Careers in Mortuary Services, his certainties give way to doubt. Betray his family? Gabriel will choose life.