Maya is a 25-year-old service worker who previously studied English at Boston University. Struggling with an unprescribed Klonopin addiction, she carries deep trauma from witnessing her high school best friend's unexplained death. As a half-Guatemalan woman raised solely by her white mother, Maya feels a profound disconnection from her heritage. She finds solace in stories, reading, and her deceased father's unfinished manuscript.

Frank is an older man who briefly dated Maya during the summer after her high school graduation. He presents himself as an enigmatic, charismatic traveler with an interest in magic and storytelling. Frank often carries a distinctive key to a cabin he claims to be building in the woods. His behavior is highly controlling, as he uses people's cherished personal stories to gain their trust and isolate them from loved ones.

Aubrey is Maya's high school best friend, an adventurous and slightly mysterious teenager. Used to moving around frequently, Aubrey struggles with deep connections but shares a profound loyalty with Maya. She loves fairy tales, magic, and sad songs, often wearing a copper amulet inscribed with magic words.

Dan is Maya's 25-year-old boyfriend, a law student currently preparing for his exams. He and Maya connect over a shared love of Greek mythology, and his stable, sober lifestyle directly contrasts with Maya's hidden struggles. Dan is a caring and supportive partner who comes from a happy, intellectual family.

Brenda is Maya's mother, a former EMT who currently works as a sous chef and baker. She met Maya's father during a mission trip to Guatemala but raised Maya alone in Massachusetts after his tragic death. Haunted by the loss of her sister to mental health struggles, Brenda remains intensely vigilant about Maya's psychological well-being.

Jairo is Maya's deceased Guatemalan father. A passionate literature student and aspiring writer, he was killed during the Guatemalan Civil War shortly before Maya's birth. He leaves behind an unfinished magical realism manuscript about a boy searching for his true home.

Cristina is a talented artist from Pittsfield who struggles with substance use and estrangement from her family. She becomes involved with Frank Bellamy and paints a serene depiction of his woodland cabin shortly before her sudden death.

Steven is a security guard at the Berkshire Museum and a concerned friend of Cristina Lewis. He reluctantly provides Maya with crucial information and artwork that helps her track Frank's recent movements.

Dr. Barry is the psychiatrist who evaluates teenage Maya following Aubrey's death. He dismisses Maya's fears about Frank as a brief psychotic disorder and magical thinking, prescribing her antipsychotics and addictive sedatives instead of validating her experiences.

Oren is Frank's father, a disgraced former psychology professor who lost his license following a scandal involving his clinical studies. He maintains a cruel authority over his household, subjecting his family to severe psychological manipulation.

Sharon is Frank's mother. She endured years of extreme psychological control at the hands of her husband, which ultimately resulted in a diagnosis of paranoid schizophrenia—a label that officially dismisses her actual trauma.

Lisa is Brenda's deceased older sister. In her youth, she developed an obsession with the toxic fumes from a local contaminated lake, leading to mental illness and substance use that caused her early death at age 21.

Carolina is Jairo's sister and Maya's aunt in Guatemala. She warmly welcomes Maya during her visit and provides insight into the magical realism manuscript Jairo was writing before his death.

Ruby is a young woman from Hood River, Oregon, who died in a fire at age 19 shortly before Frank moved to Pittsfield. She leaves behind a mix CD for Frank inscribed with a declaration of love.

Wendy is a friend of Maya's who sells her Klonopin after Maya ages out of her health insurance coverage. When she loses contact with Maya, it triggers Maya's sudden and severe withdrawal symptoms.

Greta is Dan's mother. She is perceptive and notices when Maya struggles during family gatherings, eventually asking thoughtful questions about Maya's well-being.

Detective Diaz is a police investigator who speaks with Maya regarding her current evidence against Frank. Unlike the male detectives in Maya's past, Diaz treats Maya with respect and takes her claims seriously despite her substance use history.