Fatima is a young bonded girl working in a Pakistani carpet factory, serving as the narrator of the story. She is an obedient and hardworking carpetmaker, which makes her a favorite of the factory owner and spares her from the worst punishments. Having spent three years in bondage, she has forgotten much of her past life and relies on the memories of her grandmother's stories to survive her bleak reality.

Iqbal is a talented carpet artist brought to Hussain Khan's factory to weave intricate, expensive designs like the blue Bukhara. Unlike the other children, he understands the reality of debt bondage and refuses to accept his enslavement. His bravery and defiance introduce a dangerous but powerful sense of hope into the oppressive environment.

Hussain Khan is the cruel and manipulative owner of the carpet factory. He exploits the bonded labor of children to produce rugs for wealthy foreign clients. He maintains strict control through physical abuse, the threat of an isolation cistern called the Tomb, and a rigged slate system that ensures the children can never pay off their family debts.

Maria is a young girl bonded to the carpet factory who initially never speaks, leading the others to assume she is deaf or mute. She shadows Fatima and observes everything around her. Despite her quiet demeanor, she possesses hidden skills and a resilient spirit born from her past life with her educator father.

Eshan Khan is a leader within the Bonded Labor Liberation Front of Pakistan. He dedicates his life to ending the illegal practice of child slavery and bringing corrupt factory owners and moneylenders to justice. Immaculate and determined, he represents a stark contrast to the corrupt adults the children have known.

Karim is the 17-year-old supervisor of the carpet factory. Having grown too old to weave, he maintains his place by acting as an enforcer for Hussain Khan. Because he has no family and nowhere else to go, he is fearful of losing his position, which makes him strict with the younger children despite occasionally showing them kindness.

Salman is a rugged ten-year-old boy who works in the carpet factory. He previously worked in a brick factory, an experience that hardened him and left him with pitted skin. Though he acts aggressive and initially pushes back against Iqbal's bleak assessment of their debts, his tough exterior masks his deep fear of punishment.

Hussain Khan's wife, whom the children refer to as "the mistress." She helps her husband maintain strict control over the factory, dictating the daily schedule, clapping her hands to signal the start of work, and actively participating in the punishment of rebellious children.

Ali is one of the bonded children working in the carpet factory. He frequently acts as a lookout during the children's forbidden nighttime conversations, whistling to warn them if an adult approaches.

Mohammed is a bonded child in the carpet factory who occasionally clashes with the other boys in the tense, oppressive environment of the workshop.

Twig is a very skinny young boy recently bonded to Hussain Khan. After quickly injuring his hand on the loom, he is relegated to cleaning duties around the factory.