Pulga is a fifteen-year-old boy living in Puerto Barrios, Guatemala. He secretly saves money and studies maps of the migrant routes toward the United States, dreaming of a safer life far from local gang violence. When local criminals force him into a dangerous corner, he realizes that staying home means risking his life. He acts as a fiercely protective older brother figure to his best friend Chico.

Pequeña is a seventeen-year-old girl who recently gave birth. She hides the identity of the baby's father from her family due to the trauma of his continued assaults. Desperate to avoid a forced marriage and a life under the control of a dangerous gang leader, she determines she must flee north. She relies heavily on internal visions and a spiritual connection to a guardian figure for strength.

Chico is a thirteen-year-old boy whose mother was killed in a violent shooting two years prior to the events of the story. He lives with Pulga and Consuelo, treating them as his surrogate family. Soft-spoken and relatively innocent, he relies heavily on Pulga for protection in a town controlled by violent men.

Rey is an ex-convict and powerful organized crime figure in Puerto Barrios. He extorts local businesses and uses sudden violence to maintain total control over the neighborhood. He becomes dangerously obsessed with Pequeña and forces Pulga and Chico to work as his unwilling henchmen, pushing all three teenagers to their breaking points.

Consuelo is Pulga's mother. She works hard to provide for her son and has taken in Chico as her own child after his mother's murder. She hides the money sent by her sister-in-law in the United States, silently understanding the grim realities of their town and the possibility of migration.

Lucia is Pequeña's mother and Consuelo's best friend. She works tirelessly as a housekeeper to support her daughter after her husband abandoned them. She eagerly anticipates helping raise Pequeña's baby, entirely unaware of the violent circumstances surrounding the pregnancy.

Nestor is Rey's younger brother. He frequently bullies and threatens Pulga and Chico on the streets of Puerto Barrios. He utilizes his older brother's fearsome reputation to intimidate others and acts as a dangerous enforcer for the gang.

Don Felicio runs a small local store in Puerto Barrios. He frequently shares proud stories about his son, Gallo, who successfully migrated to the United States. His tragic encounter with violent extortionists deeply shakes the community.

Doña Agostina is a former midwife who helps deliver Pequeña's baby. She occasionally experiences prophetic visions and warns the teenagers to run after sensing impending danger in the community.

Pequeña's newborn son, conceived through sexual assault by the gang leader Rey. Pequeña struggles to connect with the child, viewing him as a painful physical reminder of violence and control.

A spiritual entity, part-witch and part-angel, whom Pequeña mentally calls upon for strength. She represents Pequeña's connection to the supernatural and serves as a silent guide through terrifying experiences.

An aid worker at a shelter along the migrant route in Mexico. She provides crucial medical care, warm meals, and temporary sanctuary for those traveling north, demonstrating rare compassion on a brutal journey.

A fellow migrant attempting the dangerous final leg of the journey to the United States. He travels with his wife and young son, seeking a guide to smuggle his family safely across the desert border.

Alvaro's wife. She endures immense physical hardship while attempting to carry and protect her young son during the grueling night treks across the borderlands.

The young son of Alvaro and Nilsa. He travels with his parents through severe conditions, representing the extreme vulnerability and trauma of small children on the migrant trail.

A hired coyote who smuggles groups of migrants through the desert. He operates with harsh pragmatism, setting strict rules for survival and refusing to wait for anyone who falls behind on the trek.

A woman living near the border who stops to assist those in need. Her family history gives her a deep sympathy for those attempting the dangerous crossing, moving her to offer shelter and communication with loved ones.

A twenty-six-year-old clerk at the local drugstore in Puerto Barrios. She extends quiet sympathy to Pequeña by offering her necessary supplies on credit and agreeing to pass along a message.

Pulga's deceased father. He leaves behind a mixtape filled with affectionate messages in a blend of English and Spanish, giving Pulga a tangible connection to the parent he never knew.

Consuelo's sister-in-law living in the United States. She sends money back to Guatemala over the years, establishing a critical financial safety net for her family.

A priest who operates a shelter for migrants. He provides a stark, sobering speech outlining the severe physical dangers of the train journey to those preparing to travel north.

A priest who runs a shelter near the train tracks. He provides emotional support, logistical advice, and religious services for migrants dealing with severe trauma and loss on the journey.

A priest who assists migrants passing through a dangerous border town. He offers medical aid without pain medication and provides a safe place to sleep before the desert crossing.

Don Felicio's son, who successfully completed the journey to the United States and started a family there. He serves as an unseen symbol of hope for the youths remaining in Puerto Barrios.