Lucas is one of five teenagers recently returned to Fort Myers, Florida, after an 11-year disappearance known as "The Leaving." He comes back to his older brother Ryan and copes with the immediate, shocking tragedy of his father's fatal accident upon seeing him. Plagued by a single persistent memory of a carousel, he is fiercely motivated to uncover the truth behind his abduction and clear the fog surrounding his identity.

Scarlett is an empathetic and self-assured teenager who returns to her mother after being missing for over a decade. Upon her return, she feels alienated by her mother's obsession with paranormal conspiracy theories and her boyfriend's opportunistic schemes. Her only clues to her lost years are a recurring mental image of a hot air balloon and a mysterious object discovered in her digestive tract.

Avery is a high school sophomore whose older brother, Max, was abducted in "The Leaving" but did not return with the other five teenagers. Having grown up in the shadow of her parents' profound grief, Avery is headstrong, emotional, and impulsive. She takes it upon herself to search for answers about her missing brother when the others inexplicably reappear.

Adam is one of the five teenagers who inexplicably return 11 years after their abduction. Unlike Lucas and Scarlett, who are eager to investigate their missing years, Adam prefers to remain detached and uninvolved in the search for answers. He wishes to move on from the past and build a new life without dwelling on what happened.

Sarah is one of the abducted children who returns as a teenager with no memory of her time away. She is primarily focused on regaining her privacy and avoiding the media circus surrounding their reappearance. Her only lingering clue from the missing years is a recurring mental image of a puppy, a house, and a young girl.

Kristen is a returned abductee whose parents, now divorced, push her to use hypnosis to recover her lost memories. She initially harbors a vague sense of animosity toward Scarlett but attempts to reconnect with the group as they try to understand their circumstances. Her only persistent memory is a hazy image of an owl and riding a horse in a meadow.

Miranda is Ryan Davis's girlfriend who lives with him at the Davis family home. She sells vintage cartoon t-shirts online and claims to have a strained relationship with her own parents. She is a constant, attentive presence in the house as Lucas attempts to readjust to life and investigate his missing years.

Ryan is Lucas's older brother who grew up dealing with the trauma of Lucas's disappearance and their father's subsequent obsessive behaviors. He is thrust into further turmoil when their father tragically dies on the same day Lucas returns. Ryan struggles to navigate his grief while helping his brother readjust to a world he does not remember.

Tamara is Scarlett's mother, a bartender who has spent the last 11 years coping with her daughter's disappearance by diving into paranormal and alien abduction conspiracy theories. Her eccentric coping mechanisms create an immediate barrier between her and her newly returned daughter, though her underlying grief is evident.

Detective Chambers is the original investigator assigned to "The Leaving" case 11 years ago. The unsolved mystery took a heavy toll on his personal life, leading to divorce and estrangement from his family. He is deeply cynical, skeptical of the teenagers' memory loss, and desperate to finally close the case.

Dr. Sashor is a cognitive specialist tasked with evaluating the returned teenagers. Unlike the skeptical detectives, he shows genuine interest in helping the abductees understand their memory loss and the complex mechanics of how the brain processes trauma.

Max is Avery's older brother and one of the six kindergarteners taken during "The Leaving." Unlike the other five, Max does not return with the group 11 years later, leaving his family in a state of agonizing uncertainty. His absence drives his sister's relentless quest for answers.

Will is the father of Lucas and Ryan. Following Lucas's abduction, he spent 11 years obsessively building a rock memorial called Opus 6 and hoarding clippings and notes about the case in an old RV. His tragic, accidental death upon seeing Lucas return sets a somber tone for his son's homecoming.

Sam is Avery's high school boyfriend. He tries to be supportive as Avery deals with the chaotic aftermath of the abductees' return, but he struggles to fully grasp the emotional weight of her brother's continued absence, creating friction in their relationship.

Emma is Avery's best friend. She serves as a confidante, offering practical advice and helping Avery process her complicated emotions regarding her missing brother and her growing feelings for Lucas Davis.

Steve is Tamara's boyfriend. He is described as a small but muscular man who wears a gold necklace. Immediately upon meeting Scarlett, he proves himself to be opportunistic by pitching the idea of selling her harrowing story for a lucrative book deal.

Daniel Orlean is the author of a vintage science fiction novel called *The Leaving*, which details a futuristic society that erases children's sad memories. Currently residing in a nursing home in Tarpon Springs, he suffers from Alzheimer's disease and cannot recall his own writing.

Mr. Godard is Avery and Max's father. He immediately drops his business trip to return home upon hearing that the abductees have reappeared. Desperate to find his still-missing son, he funds a reward and sets up a public tipline to gather information.

Mrs. Godard is Avery and Max's mother. The 11-year disappearance of her son has left her emotionally fragile, forcing her teenage daughter to take on a significant caretaking role. The return of the other children without Max plunges her back into profound despair.