Hig is a former contractor who survived a devastating flu and blood disease nine years ago. He now lives in an old hangar at the Erie Airport outside Denver, Colorado, acting as the pilot and scout for his small territory. He possesses deep empathy and a love for poetry, often fishing and hunting while struggling to reconcile his humanistic values with the brutal demands of post-collapse survival.

Bruce Bangley is a former farmer and staunch survivalist who showed up at the Erie Airport with a trailer full of weapons. He operates with a shoot-first philosophy, establishing a highly defensible perimeter and a watchtower to keep intruders away. He wears a belted sidearm constantly and provides the tactical knowledge necessary to keep both him and Hig alive in a hostile world.

Cima is a former doctor from New York City who survives the pandemic alongside her father in a secluded canyon. She carries deep psychological wounds from the loss of her husband, experiencing intense guilt for not being with him when he died. Educated at Dartmouth on a scholarship, she retains a desire for the simpler joys of her past metropolitan life while adapting to harsh realities.

Pops is a former Navy SEAL and Cima's father, living in a hidden canyon between Erie and Grand Junction. He is an intelligent, highly capable survivalist who possesses an innate understanding of his environment and tactical positioning. He protects his daughter fiercely but maintains enough empathy to listen to reason when an outsider approaches peacefully.

Jasper is Hig's dog and constant companion in the nine years since the flu pandemic. He accompanies Hig on flights in the Cessna and during trips into the mountains. For Hig, Jasper represents pure, uncomplicated love and acts as an emotional anchor to a world that has otherwise grown cold.

Melissa is Hig's deceased wife, who succumbed to the superflu nine years prior to the main events of the story. She suffered intensely from the disease's symptoms, ultimately begging Hig to end her misery. Her death and the life they shared before the collapse remain a constant presence in Hig's mind.

Tomas is Cima's deceased husband who died from the superflu while she was away. He appears frequently in Cima's nightmares, calling out for her while she stands helplessly by, a trauma that severely impacts Cima's present emotional state.

Uncle Pete is a figure from Hig's past who lived on a yacht with Aunt Louise. He was known for his stories, cigarillos, and drinking. Hig remembers cutting firewood for him despite knowing Pete would not survive the winter.

Aunt Louise is Hig's aunt who lived aboard a yacht with Uncle Pete prior to the collapse.

Bo is Cima's twin brother who died in a motorcycle accident before the flu pandemic. His death deeply affected Cima's teenage years and became the subject of her college essay at her high school counselor's prompting.

Mike Ganger is a friend of Hig's from the early days following the global collapse. He owned a homemade airplane that Hig used to practice flying tricks, providing Hig with a brief sense of purpose and distraction.