TISDALE Age: 13   Deformity: Only Tisdale knows At the orphanage, Tisdale is the undisputed class clown. If you asked the girls about Tisdale, they'd say, "he's sweet but very immature." Naturally, the guys would say, "His practical jokes are an inspiration!" And, the guardians would say, "We keep an eye on him every second..." His riddles can keep the orphanage confounded for days– or years, in the case of his greatest puzzle: what is his deformity? His friends gave up on that challenge a long time ago, but not before one of them guessed it right. Tisdale was not sure what made him feel more ill: how Maud knew, or that he had lied to her. MAUDELINE (MAUD) Age: 12  Deformity: Can create crystals from exhaled breath // Eyes glow blue, unlike other Allumen Maud has strange fears. Corners. Holes. Purple things. Touching door knobs. Her friends say her worries are merely distractions from a "deeper issue." Maud hates when they say that. They are just repeating what the orphanage guardians tell them. She knows the source of her fears and it is not a childhood insecurity. It is more tangible than that– a secret she should never have remembered. Maybe she could deal with her "issue" if she could talk about it to someone. But she can't. Not to anyone. Not ever. The guardians were clear about that. BRUNO Age: 16  Deformity: Hands and feet can generate electricity (sometimes uncontrollably) Bruno is tired of hearing that he needs to deal with his attitude; so tired it makes him want to pick a fight. Truth is, Bruno is comfortable with the chip on his shoulder. Mostly because it ticks off Herschel, his "perfect" older brother. The rest of the orphanage isn't high on Bruno's list either. Each night, he gazes out his bedside window, wondering what is out there. Adventure. Excitement. Somewhere far away from Herschel. Anything would be better than the monotony of the orphanage. He's vowed to find out what lies beyond the lake and the grasslands...soon. HERSCHEL Age: 17  Deformity: Right eye shines powerful light while Left eye is completely dark. Herschel, a perfectionist, only sees his own failures. His broken left eye makes everything harder - vision, balance, concentration. However, he’s the one the younger boys want to be. Tall, smart, handsome, and athletic, the orphans can’t help but admire Herschel. All but Bruno, his younger brother. Arrogant, phony, and insensitive would be a few words he would choose. Regardless, the brothers are more alike than they realize. Obsessed with his drive for perfection, Herschel disregards Bruno's growing resentment, a mistake that could mean failure for them all. SYBIL Age: 16  Deformity: Hands produce and withstand fire Sybil commands attention with a wild creativity and the charm to influence peers and counselors alike. Though the children look to Sybil for direction and inspiration, they may have chosen their leader impetuously. Sybil’s own agenda always comes first. HORTENSE Age: 16  Deformity: Phosphorescent globes grow in her hair Hortense has made it her mission to take care of her friends and the younger orphans. But her concern is not always appreciated. Her best friend, Sybil, thinks she cares too much– she recently remarked, "Tense, if you ask me one more time if Maud or Bruno are OK, I'm going to burn something down." Sybil should know they are both hurting. Why doesn't she care? ELIJAH (ELI) Age: 14  Deformity: Unlike a normal Light Person, Eli cannot store light or shine it from his eyes. Usually found shivering near a light source - a candle, a window, a fireplace - Eli is a loner. He was born without the ability to store light, placing him at continual risk of death. At the age of ten, Eli was found at the steps of the orphanage, covered in scratches, arms bound in twine. Days passed before he awoke. How he got there remains a mystery. A few hazy memories of his loving but sickly mother are all Eli recollects. As the orphans descend into the unknown, the most terrible things Eli encounters are not in the darkness... they are locked in his mind.