David is a 59-year-old hydrologist who experiences prescient dreams. Raised in Anchorage, Alaska, he possesses a deep, lifelong fascination with snow crystals and water patterns. His inability to control or fully understand his prophetic dreams makes him anxious, especially when he foresees a tragedy involving his own family. He is quiet, observant, and often allows others to dictate the direction of his life.

Sandy is a bank teller who feels restless and bored with her predictable life. She dreams of more exciting careers, expressing interest in becoming a pilot or metal sculptor. Her desire for excitement makes her receptive to David's sudden appearance in her life. She is decisive and practical, taking the lead in directing their shared future once they leave Alaska.

Grace is the infant daughter of David and Sandy. She closely resembles her father physically. She becomes the absolute focal point of David's terrifying, recurring dreams regarding a devastating flood, an event that drives the primary conflict of the story.

Naaliyah is the young daughter of Felix and Soma. She shares a natural curiosity about the natural world with David, showing a specific, intense fascination with bugs and insects. She is perceptive and spends a great deal of time exploring the island's environment alongside David.

Herman is a branch manager at the First Federal Savings and Loan bank where Sandy works. He enjoys playing hockey and has a particular fondness for garlic salt. He lives a stable, predictable life that ultimately leaves his wife feeling trapped and unfulfilled.

Felix is a chef who fled Chile after working in the president's palace. He currently lives on a small island near St. Vincent, where he is helping to build an inn. He lives a simple, hard-working life and demonstrates quick hospitality to strangers in need.

Soma is a compassionate woman from Chile who works as a post office clerk. She allows a stranded David to use the phone and later welcomes him into her family's small blue house. She is deeply religious, practical, and highly protective of her family.

She is an immigrant from Finland who put herself through nursing school. She embraces the darkness of the Alaskan winters and shares her love of nature with her son. She provides gentle, unwavering support when David first begins experiencing his prophetic dreams.

Nanton is the owner of a developing inn on a small island near St. Vincent. He is building a specialized property with a glass floor over the coral reef and offers David a two-week probationary job excavating the lagoon.

George is a local man in Anchorage who becomes the subject of nine-year-old David's first major prescient dream. His tragic accident serves as the event that proves the reality of David's prophetic abilities.