Nick is a student at the private Truman School in Naples, Florida. He worries daily about his deployed father while trying to survive his terrifying biology class. When his teacher vanishes during a field trip, his natural curiosity and strong sense of right and wrong lead him to investigate the truth behind her sudden absence.

A strict and deeply feared biology teacher at the Truman School. She disappears during a class field trip to the Black Vine Swamp after running back toward a rapidly advancing wildfire to retrieve a student's dropped inhaler. Her sudden absence sparks wild rumors throughout the school community regarding her true fate.

The primary misfit at the Truman School. He has a juvenile record for arson and struggles with his parents' broken marriage. After his bizarre confrontation with Mrs. Starch, he skips the swamp field trip and quickly becomes the prime suspect when a fire breaks out in the Everglades.

A gruff, independently wealthy environmentalist with a fierce dedication to protecting the Florida Everglades. He wears an old-fashioned ammunition belt and operates entirely off the grid. His path crosses with the Truman School students as they independently investigate their teacher's disappearance.

Nick's talkative, high-strung best friend and classmate. She frequently suffers from severe anxiety during biology lessons but bravely assists Nick in his increasingly dangerous investigation into their teacher's whereabouts.

The foolish but highly arrogant president of the Red Diamond Energy Corporation. He seeks to execute an illegal drilling operation in a protected sector of the Black Vine Swamp. Driven entirely by corporate greed, he views the natural world merely as an obstacle to his financial goals.

The pragmatic assistant to Drake McBride at Red Diamond Energy. He handles the day-to-day operations of the illegal drilling scheme in the Everglades. He actively works to keep the authorities and wandering students away from their secret site.

The anxious headmaster of the Truman School. He constantly worries about the institution's public relations and the constant threat of potential lawsuits from wealthy parents. He scrambles to maintain order when his biology teacher goes missing.

Nick's father and a former minor-league pitcher. He currently serves in the Iraq War with the Army National Guard. His sudden lack of communication causes severe anxiety for his family back in Florida.

Nick's mother, who works for the Department of Corrections. She tries to maintain a sense of normalcy at home while anxiously awaiting updates regarding her deployed husband.

Duane Jr.'s father. He lives as a bitter, paranoid recluse following his wife's departure and his own previous arrest for an act of arson. He exercises almost no control or supervision over his son's daily life.

Duane Jr.'s wealthy grandmother. She frequently uses her financial resources to exert influence over the Truman School and her estranged family. She completely fails to understand her grandson's erratic behavior.

A highly eccentric substitute teacher hired to cover Mrs. Starch's absence. He employs bizarre teaching methods, such as making eighth-graders sing nursery rhymes and teaching exclusively from page 117 of their textbooks regardless of the subject.

The lead law enforcement officer assigned to investigate the wildfire at the Black Vine Swamp. He attempts to unravel the conflicting evidence surrounding the blaze and the missing teacher.

Nick's classmate and the detective's daughter. She accidentally drops her asthma inhaler during the swamp evacuation, which directly prompts Mrs. Starch to run back toward the active fire.

A fire department investigator. He works alongside the police department to determine the exact cause and origin point of the blaze that halted the school field trip.

An employee of the Red Diamond Energy Corporation. He suffers strange sabotage while working in the swamp, bringing unwanted attention to the secret drilling operation.

An aggressive blue-and-gold macaw owned by the Scrod family. The bird speaks three languages and frequently terrorizes visitors who enter the household.