Victor is a young Spokane man living on a reservation who struggles with a deep sense of isolation and detachment from his cultural roots. Recently unemployed, he faces the practical and emotional burden of traveling to Phoenix to retrieve his estranged father's remains and meager savings. He frequently suppresses his childhood memories and maintains a defensive, closed-off exterior toward his community.

Thomas is a highly intuitive Spokane storyteller who honors traditional Indigenous oral history, though his peers often ostracize him for his eccentricities. Orphaned at a young age, he relies on his stories and visions to survive a lonely existence. Despite being mocked and physically attacked by Victor in the past, he remains patiently persistent in offering his support to his former friend.

Victor's Father is an estranged Spokane man who left the reservation and his family years ago. Living a transient and isolated life in Phoenix, he leaves behind few possessions and a complicated legacy for his son. His absence deeply impacts Victor and represents a generational struggle with cultural identity and familial connection.

Cathy is an athletic woman and a former first alternate for the 1980 Olympic gymnastics team. She strikes up a conversation with Thomas on the airplane, openly discussing her flexibility and complaining about the Olympic boycott. Her presence aboard the flight highlights the differing comfort levels between Victor and Thomas regarding mainstream American society.

Norma Many Horses is a strong, respected member of the Spokane reservation community. Described as a warrior, she possesses a commanding presence that effectively stops violence when others will not intervene. She takes on a protective, maternal role toward the reservation's outcasts and vulnerable members.