The Man is a father traveling south toward the coast with his young son following an unnamed apocalyptic event. He is fiercely protective and highly alert to physical threats, carrying a pistol with only two rounds. Pushing a grocery cart containing their meager supplies, he relies on his resourcefulness to scavenge for canned food and keep his son alive in a desolate environment.

The Boy is a young child who has grown up entirely within the ruined, post-apocalyptic world. He relies completely on his father for survival and protection. Despite the daily horrors they witness, he maintains a strong sense of empathy and constantly questions whether they are 'the good guys.' He acts as the moral conscience of their two-person family, often advocating for helping others.

Ely is an elderly, starving traveler making his way through the wasteland. He gives a false name and age, functioning as an unpredictable presence on the road. He holds a nihilistic view of the world and expects nothing from the future, making him a contrasting figure to the father and son who are actively fighting to survive.

The Other Little Boy is a solitary child seen running away in the distance. His brief appearance deeply upsets the primary child, who desperately wants to help him. The father dismisses the sighting as a hallucination or a danger, leaving the child's true nature and situation ambiguous.

The Wife is the mother of the young boy, appearing exclusively in flashbacks. Faced with the hopeless reality of the destroyed world, she loses her will to survive and advocates for a quick end to avoid a worse fate. Her choice deeply impacts the father, leaving him alone to bear the burden of protecting their son.

The Stranger In The Woods is a member of a heavily armed caravan traveling in a working diesel truck. He represents the immediate, violent threat of other human survivors who prey on the weak. His encounter with the father and son forces a tense and deadly confrontation.