Isaac English
Isaac is the protagonist of the novel, a 19-year-old kid stuck in the dying town of Buell, Pennsylvania. Unlike many of his peers, Isaac possesses the intellectual capacity to really make a go of college which is the holy grail for all kids like him who with dreams to escape the dead end life that living in such a town promises almost from birth.
Henry English
Henry is Isaac’s wheelchair-bound father who represents the primary reason Isaac has not pursued the dream of college. Henry is very sick and needs Isaac to stay in town and attend to his care. However, Henry also has something which Isaac desires very much and absolutely needs in order to pursue his dream of studying physics in California.
Billy Poe
Billy is Isaac’s best friend. He is a former high school football phenom who had the opportunity to ride a sports scholarship all the way to Colgate, but rejected the opportunity. When Isaac steals four grand from his father’s life savings to head to ride the rails to California, Billy joins him on the adventure.
Otto
The adventure does not make it nearly to California, turning very badly very quickly. Isaac and Billy meet up with three rail tramps with more than simply larceny on their agenda and before the two barely make it out of town, one of them—Otto—lies dead from a heavy ball bearing that makes direct contact with his face as the end point of a trajectory that begins with Isaac’s hand.
Bud Harris
Bud is not just the Chief of Police, but a man who has long and involved relationship with Billy’s mother Grace. The task of investigating exactly what happened to cause a hobo named Otto to be lying dead as the result of a heavy object smashing against his head complicates only everything.
