Annie is a 35-year-old woman who is nine months pregnant and works as an office manager at a tech company. Formerly an aspiring playwright whose work won a local competition, she abandoned her creative ambitions to secure health insurance and practical financial stability. She struggles with the physical discomfort of late pregnancy and a deeply ingrained habit of prioritizing polite behavior over her own comfort.

Dom is a 38-year-old cafe employee who persistently pursues a career as an actor despite years of rejection. He is charming and optimistic, yet he struggles to balance his youthful artistic aspirations with the practical responsibilities of impending fatherhood. His refusal to abandon his creative dreams places significant financial strain on his growing family. He relies on his wife for health insurance and stability.

Taylor is a young mother who works at an IKEA customer service desk to support her daughter. Initially appearing indifferent to Annie's shopping frustrations, she quickly demonstrates immense courage and a fierce maternal drive when the earthquake strikes. Her entire focus shifts immediately to crossing the devastated city to reach Columbus Elementary School.

Bean is Annie's unborn child, constantly present through physical movement and in her parents' thoughts. Though not physically born at the start of the story, the baby serves as Annie's constant companion and the focal point of her deep-seated anxieties regarding the future. Bean represents the physical reality of impending parenthood.

Annie's deceased mother raised her daughter as a single parent while working as an artist creating papier-mâché birds. She functions as a continuous guiding presence in Annie's mind, representing practical wisdom and the enduring bond between mothers and daughters. Her memory provides an internal moral compass during the disaster.

Gabby is Taylor's young daughter who attends Columbus Elementary School. She is described as wearing pink sneakers and a Moana necklace. She represents the vulnerable innocence that drives her mother's desperate actions across the ruined city.

Gretchen is the daughter of a cafe owner and Dom's coworker. She is a practical presence in the devastated city who provides Annie with crucial information regarding Dom's actual schedule on the day of the earthquake.

Becky is a cyclist who suffers catastrophic injuries during the earthquake. She becomes the focal point of a makeshift rescue effort by strangers, serving as a catalyst for Annie's shifting moral boundaries.

Spencer is a toddler wandering the aisles of IKEA before the earthquake. His brief interaction with Annie demonstrates her habit of masking annoyance behind polite behavior.

Ava is a young student at Columbus Elementary School who is separated from her family during the earthquake. Her situation unites several mothers in a profound moment of shared maternal instinct.

Jacob is an actor from Annie's first play production fourteen years ago. He was the initial focus of Annie's romantic interest before she ultimately connected with Dom.

Heather is the lead actress in Annie's first play production. She draws the romantic attention of Jacob, indirectly paving the way for Annie and Dom's relationship.

Brendan is Dom's successful brother. He serves as a point of comparison for Dom, emphasizing the financial instability of his persistent acting career.