What starts as an ordinary October day soon turns into a fight to save the human race. A strange signal, known as "The Pulse" is sent through every cell phone, and instead of destroying technology, it destroys the user. Hell bent on murderous rampage, they seek out the 'normies' that were lucky enough to escape the attack, but the headmaster of Gaiten Academy, and one of the students may have devised a way to stop them.
| Name | Description |
|---|
| ?, Arthur | Ralph and Arthur helped Daniel Hartwick, Denise Link and Ray Huizenga for a while before leaving them and going their own way |
| ?, Beth | Rung 'Pixie Light' on her mobile phone. 'Pixie Dark' overheard the conversation and was also affected by The Pulse |
| ?, Charlie | Had a heart attack and died soon after 3 October |
| ?, Franklin | Worked at the Atlantic Avenue Inn for 35 years before he was murdered |
| ?, Frito | In the car with Gunner when he crashed on Highway 19. Ran off after the crash |
| ?, George | A man who worked at Sonny's Texaco was seen eating pumpkins in the back yard of Thomas McCourt's house. He had used a wheelbarrow as a tool to open the pumpkin |
| ?, Greg | Natalie, a woman about forty who was travelling with Greg, a man about twenty. They were seen on route 128 pushing a shopping cart each. The mans contained a boy about seven, and the woman's contained an unknown child. She abused the group when Thomas McCourt tried to help when the boy fell out of the shopping cart. He had a pacemaker |
| ?, Hank | Worked at the Sweet Valley Inn, in Methuen. Found dead behind the counter by Clayton Riddell |
| ?, Harold | One of the passengers in Gunner's car when he crashed it. Small, bad acne scars, buck teeth and red hair. The following night he was driving while Gunner threw a cinderblock at Alice, causing injuries that took her life the next morning. The Raggedy man told the group that he would be punished for his actions. He was found dead at the feet of Gunner. He was apparently forced to crucify Gunner, then cut his own throat |
| ?, Jordan | Only student left in the Gaiten Academy. Hid in a greenhouse after The Pulse, and then watched the phone-crazies along with Charles Ardai, the 'Head'. He was a computer nerd and was on a scholarship at Gaiten Academy. He theorised that the Pulse had wiped all higher reasoning and ability from the people, reverting them to their basic mind-programming. He was the only one small enough to get through the windows at the Northern Counties Expo, and he drove the bus into the centre of the group of Phone-crazies, then hid behind Kashwakamak Hall while Clayton Riddell triggered the explosives. After the explosion that wiped out mot of the Phone-crazies, Tom, Jordan, Dan, and Denise headed north, 100 miles north of Rangeley to hold up for winter |
| ?, Maddy | Power Suit Woman was talking to Maddy on the phone while waiting to be served by MISTER SOFTEE. The phone call dropped out |
| ?, Natalie | A woman about forty who was travelling with Greg, a man about twenty. They were seen on route 128 pushing a shopping cart each . The mans contained a boy about seven, and the woman's contained an unknown child. She abused the group when Thomas McCourt tried to help when the boy fell out of the shopping cart |
| ?, Portia | In the shopping cart pushed by Natalie |
| ?, Ralph | Ralph and Arthur left Daniel Hartwick, Denise Link and Ray Huizenga and went their own way |
| ?, Rolfe (rugsack) | One of two elderly men who spoke to Clayton Riddell, Thomas McCourt and Alice Maxwell along route 102, east of Manchester. Had a rugsack over one shoulder and a .30-.30 over the other |
| ?, Tess | Friend of Alice Maxwell. Owned a cellphone, and never went anywhere without it |
| ?, Tommy | In the car with Gunner when he crashed on Highway 19. Ran off after the crash |
| ?, Vicki | Friend of Alice Maxwell. Owned a cellphone, and never went anywhere without it |
| AC/DC | Clayton Riddell had gone to an AC/DC concert in Boston as a teenager |
| Adam | From Adam and Eve |
| Adler, ? | Charles Ardai had read some of Adler's work while reading about psychology |
| Ahab | Mentioned in passing |
| Albioni, ? | His music was played at the Northern Counties Expo by the phone-crazies |
| Amin, Idi | Mentioned by Thomas McCourt to Clayton Riddell |
| Annie | From the movie Annie |
| Ardai, ? | Brother of Charles Ardai. Gave Charles a cell phone for his 65th birthday |
| Ardai, ? | Father of Charles. Lived until the age of 97 |
| Ardai, Charles (The Head) | Chairman of the Gaiten Academy English Department, and acting Headmaster at the time of The Pulse. He was looking after Jordan. Majored in English, but also read a great deal of psychology. While he was alive Jordan would not leave him, so he told Clayton Riddell that he intended to commit suicide on the afternoon of 7 October. That afternoon he was found sitting at his desk. He had been forced by the Raggedy Man to write 'Insane' in fourteen languages before jamming the fountain pen into his eye, and the brain behind |
| Ashland, Ulrich (Rick) | Saw the man who tried to stab Thomas McCourt. He shot him in the head with his police pistol before giving Clayton Riddell his card and contact details |
| Batman | From Batman and Robin. Mentioned |
| Bear, Greg | Author read by Jordan |
| Benzycks, ? | Family that lived next door to Mr & Mrs Ricardi |
| bin Laden, Osama | Mentioned by Charles Ardai |
| Blue Witch | Character from Clayton Riddell's 'Dark Wanderer' |
| Bolton, Michael | His CD 'Love Songs' was seen on the ground outside the Sweet Valley Inn, in Methuen |
| Boone, Debby | Thought of by Clayton Riddell during a dream. Heard singing 'You light up my life' |
| Brown, Les | Thomas McCourt thought that Les Brown and His Band of Renown was playing the version of 'Baby Elephant Walk' they heard walking along route 102, east of Manchester |
| Buck, Frank | Lion tamer thought of by Clayton Riddell |
| Burroughs, Edgar Rice | Clayton Riddell had done some jackets for his Mars series of books |
| Bush, George W | Arnie Nickerson had a Bush-Cheney sticker on his car |
| Caesar, Julius | Mentioned by Thomas McCourt |
| Carpenters, The | Heard playing on Tonney Field |
| Chamberlain, Joshua | A statue of General Joshua Chamberlain was located in the town square of Turnbull |
| Cheney, Dick | Arnie Nickerson had a Bush-Cheney sticker on his car |
| Chips, Mr | Clayton Riddell thought Charles Ardai looked a bit like 'kindly old Mr. Chips' |
| Chutsky, Noah | Student at Gaiten Academy. He was in Charles Ardai's Drama Reading Club. Now a phone-crazy and was part of the body-removal team at Tonney Field |
| Clancy, Tom | Author mentioned by Clayton Riddell |
| Coleridge, ? | Poet thought of by Clayton Riddell |
| Cooper, Anderson | Thought of by Clayton Riddell |
| Costa, Don | Played a version of the Baby Elephant Walk, and mentioned by 'packsack' to Thomas McCourt |
| Craven, Ricky | On the t-shirt of one of the Phone-crazies that slept in Tonney Field. Nascar driver |
| Darden, Hughie | Clayton Riddell thought George's killer could have also chased Johnny Riddell and Mitch Steinman, but in a note to Clay, Johnny told them that they got away safely. Hughie was a phone-crazy |
| Darwin, Charles | Darwin was mentioned in passing by Charles Ardai |
| de Sade, Marquis | Mentioned by Charles Ardai |
| Destiny's Child | Band thought of by Clayton Riddell |
| Devane, Mr | Clayton Riddell's algebra teacher |
| Dillinger Gang | Thought of by Clayton Riddell |
| Donnelly, Mr | The day manager at the Atlantic Avenue Inn. He was out making the afternoon deposit when the pulse hit, and did not return. He left Mr Ricardi in charge |
| Dormouse | From Alice in wonderland |
| Eichmann, ? | Mentioned by Charles Ardai |
| Eminem | Musician mentioned by Thomas McCourt |
| Eve | From Adam and Eve |
| Falwell, Jerry | Mentioned by Thomas McCourt |
| Faure, ? | His music was played at the Northern Counties Expo by the phone-crazies |
| Finn, Huck | Thomas McCourt thought that when Alice Maxwell put on a pair of his jeans that she would look like Huck Finn |
| Floren, Myron | It was his version of 'The Beer Barrel Polka' that was heard along route 102, east of Manchester |
| Fogarty, Mr | The cell phone given to Clayton Riddell by Ray Huizenga had a label stating this persons name |
| Frank and the Posse Boys | Characters from Clayton Riddell's 'Dark Wanderer' |
| Freud, Sigmund | Charles Ardai had read some of Freud's work while reading about psychology |
| Frost, Robert | Poet thought of by Clayton Riddell |
| G, Kenny | Musician mentioned by Thomas McCourt |
| Gandhi | Mentioned by Charles Ardai |
| Gendron, George (Connecticut) | Friend of Johnny Riddell. With him after the Pulse hit. Skinny, blond, and wore a red backpack. Jordan found him dead three houses down from Johnny's place. He and his family had moved from Connecticut to Kent Pond |
| Gendron, Mr | The father of George Gendron. They had moved from Connecticut to Kent Pond |
| Gene Vincent and the Blue Caps | Charles Ardai was a fan of this particular band |
| Gibson, William | Author read by Jordan |
| Gunner | Sprinter on Highway 19 on the night of 9 October. Yelled to Alice, then drove by before crashing . The following night he threw a cinderblock at Alice, causing injuries that took her life the next morning. The Raggedy man told the group that he would be punished for his actions. He was found crucified |
| Gutierrez, Doris | After the Pulse she found a wastebasket fire on the 3rd floor of the Atlantic Avenue Inn. Head housekeeper |
| Hall and Oates | Band mentioned by Alice Maxwell on her deathbed |
| Handt, Roscoe | Met Clayton Riddell, Thomas McCourt and Alice Maxwell in Andover. He told them that he had just met two people turned around at the border while trying to cross into New Hampshire. He was from Methuen |
| Hanks, Tom | His new picture had been playing in the Ioka in Kent Pond |
| Hartwick, ? | Sister of Dan Hartwick. Dan thought she might be a Phone-crazy and be at Kashwak to be his 'executioner' |
| Hartwick, Daniel | From Haverhill, Massachusetts. Met Clayton Riddell, Thomas McCourt and Jordan outside Kent Pond on the night of 11 October. Gray hair, teacher at Haverhill Arts and Technical. He was travelling with Daniel Hartwick and Denise Link. Jordan, Clay and Thomas had dreamed of the three of them, and they met outside Kent Pond on the night of 11 October. He travelled with them until the final confrontation at the Northern Counties Expo at Kashwak. After the explosion that wiped out most of the Phone-crazies, Tom, Jordan, Dan, and Denise headed north, 100 miles north of Rangeley to hold up for winter while Clay went to look for his son |
| Holmes, Sherlock | Thomas McCourt said to Jordan 'Holmes, you astound me' |
| Huizenga, Ray | From Groveland, Massachusetts. Met Clayton Riddell, Thomas McCourt and Jordan outside Kent Pond on the night of 11 October. He was travelling with Daniel Hartwick and Denise Link. Jordan, Clay and Thomas had dreamed of the three of them. He knew how to rig dynamite from his experience on a road crew before The Pulse, and he rigged the dynamite used to destroy the second flock in Nashua. He rigged the explosives in the back of the school bus, told Clayton to call a specific cellphone number at the right time, and then committed suicide |
| Jesus | Biblical character mentioned |
| Johnson, Randy (Big unit) | Curt Schilling beat 'the Big Unit' and was seen by George and his older brother the previous year |
| Joseph | Biblical character mentioned |
| Joxer the Pirate | Character in an early comic drawn by Clayton Riddell |
| Jung, ? | Charles Ardai had read some of Jung's work while reading about psychology |
| King, Martin Luther | Mentioned by Charles Ardai |
| Kretsky, Mr | Lived on Livery Lane in Kent Pond. He was seen laying dead on the sidewalk in front of his home. He used to give Johnny Riddell a tootsie Pop on haircut day |
| Lennon Sisters | Mentioned by Thomas McCourt to 'packsack' |
| Lily Astolet | Character from Clayton Riddell's 'Dark Wanderer' |
| Link, Denise | From Haverhill, Massachusetts. Met Clayton Riddell, Thomas McCourt and Jordan outside Kent Pond on the night of 11 October. She was travelling with Daniel Hartwick and Ray Huizenga. Jordan, Clay and Thomas had dreamed of the three of them. Pregnant. She travelled with them until the final confrontation at the Northern Counties Expo at Kashwak. After the explosion that wiped out most of the Phone-crazies, Tom, Jordan, Dan, and Denise headed north, 100 miles north of Rangeley to hold up for winter |
| Link, Mr | Husband of Denise. He became a phone-crazie from the effects of The Pulse. She thought he might be at Kashwak to be her 'executioner' |
| Lon, Alice | Mentioned by Thomas McCourt to 'packsack' |
| Lorenz, Konrad | Dan said, while talking about speculation 'Maybe Freud, maybe Lorenz' |
| Madonna | Thomas McCourt took his boombox to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire and listened to Van Halen and Madonna CD's |
| Magdelene, Mary | Thought of by Clayton Riddell |
| March Hare | From Alice in wonderland |
| Marsalis, Wynton | Musician mentioned by Clayton Riddell |
| Martin, Dean | Played on the boomboxes at Tonney Field. Thought of by Clayton Riddell in his dream of 12 October |
| Mary | Biblical character mentioned |
| Maxwell, Alice | Fifteen year old girl saved by Clayton Riddell and Tomas McCourt outside the Atlantic Avenue Inn. She had been shopping with her mother when the Pulse struck. Lived in Boxford. She travelled with the two men to Tom's house, where they stayed the night. She found a baby Nike shoe outside the house and kept it with her from then on. She was hit on the head with a cinderblock thrown by Gunner on the night of 10 October, and died at about dawn on 11 October, and was buried under an apple tree in the orchard near where she died |
| Maxwell, Mr | Father of Alice Maxwell. Runs a framing business in Newton. He can't cook at all. He had a new cell phone, with 'all the bells and whistles' |
| Maxwell, Mrs | Mother of Alice. They had been shopping on 1 October, when she used her cell phone to call Mr Maxwell . She was affected by the Pulse and attacked the taxi driver, causing the crash. She was then going to attack Alice, but Alice fought her off, breaking her nose in the process |
| McCourt, Mr | Brother of Thomas McCourt, from Providence. Tom thought he might be a Phone-crazy and be at Kashwak to be his 'executioner' |
| McCourt, Mrs | Mother of Thomas McCourt. A devoutly religious woman who attended the First N.E. Church of Christ the Redeemer along with her two sisters |
| McCourt, Thomas | Short, thinning hair, tiny dark moustache, and gold-rimmed spectacles. He met Clayton Riddell during the initial effects of The Pulse, and was saved when Clayton used his portfolio as a shield, stopping a knife from killing him. Lived at 140 Salem Street, Malden. Travelled with Clay back to his motel where he met Alice Maxwell, and the three of them went back to Tom's house for the night. They then acquired some guns from Tom's neighbours and travelled onto Gaiten Academy where they met The Head and Jordan. Tom drove one of the two Gas trucks onto Tonney Field. Clay shot at one of the trucks, causing it to ignite and kill all the phone-crazies almost instantly. Headed towards Kashwak & met Daniel Hartwick, Denise Link and Ray Huizenga After the final showdown in Kashwak, he headed north with Jordan, Dan and Denise |
| Meyers, Mrs | Taught Alice Maxwell American History |
| Michaelangelo | His sculpture of 'David' was mentioned |
| Micmac Indians | There is a 'two-bit Micmac' reservation in the TR-90 |
| Midler, Bette | Heard singing 'Wind beneath my wings' |
| Moby Dick | Mentioned in passing |
| Mozart, ? | His music was played at the Northern Counties Expo by the phone-crazies |
| Nickerson, Arnie | Lived across the street and 3 doors up from Thomas McCourt, with his wife Beth and daughter Heidi He had a large collection of guns in his house, and some were taken by Thomas McCourt, Alice Maxwell and Clayton Riddell. A real gadget-nut |
| Nickerson, Beth | Wife of Arnie Nickerson. She had shot her daughter Heidi before apparently committing suicide using a pistol to the face |
| Nickerson, Heidi | Daughter of Beth and Arnie Nickerson. Found dead in the kitchen of her home, apparently killed after she attacked her mother. She was about 12 or 13 years old, with straw blond hair and braces |
| Nirvana | Band listened to by Clayton Riddell |
| Nixon, Richard | His name is on the plaque put on the moon |
| Nolan, Iris | Lived in Kent Pond and volunteered at the town library. A Note from her was seen on the wall in the Town Hall |
| O'Leary, Mrs | Legend had it that her cow knocked over a lantern and Chicago burnt down. Alice said it was an urban legend |
| Pachelbel, Johann | His Canon in D Major was played at the Northern Counties Expo by the phone-crazies |
| Peckinpah, Sam | After burying Charles Ardai, Jordan looked like a 'homicidal bandido in a Sam Peckinpah western' |
| Pitt, Brad | Mentioned by officer Ulrich Ashland to Thomas McCourt |
| Poe, Edgar Allan | His poem 'The Tell-Tale Heart' was mentioned |
| Poison Sally | Character from Clayton Riddell's 'Dark Wanderer' |
| Pot, Pol | Mentioned by Thomas McCourt to Clayton Riddell |
| Potowami, Mr | On 2 October hundreds of phone-crazies were seen walking down Salem Street. This man was wriggling his jaw side to side chattering his teeth. He worked at the Bakery in Malden |
| Powerpuff Girls | To Clayton Riddell, 'Pixie Light' and 'Pixie Dark' looked like Saturday morning cartoon characters such as the Powerpuff Girls |
| Rafael (Rafe) (Rafer) | Cat of Thomas McCourt. It knocked his cell phone down & broke it. When Tom left his house on 2 October, he propped the door open, and left the cat plenty of food |
| Ray Damon | Character from Clayton Riddell's 'Dark Wanderer'. He was the Dark Wanderer |
| Ricardi, Mr | Bald clerk at the Atlantic Avenue Inn. He helped Thomas McCourt and Clayton Riddell. He would not leave the Inn with them, but instead committed suicide by hanging himself from a light in his office shortly after they left |
| Ricardi, Mrs | Wife of Mr Ricardi. Lives in Milton |
| Riddell, Clayton (Clay) | While walking along Boylston St, Boston on October 1, he saw the initial effect of The Pulse on those around him. He saved the live of Thomas McCourt, and the two of them went back to Clay's hotel where they met Alice Maxwell. They left the motel and stayed at Tom's house, which is where they first say the flocking behaviour of the phone-crazies. They then travelled north, into New Hampshire, with the intention of getting back to Maine and his wife and son. Met The Head and Jordan in Gaiten Academy and formulated a plan to kill the phone-crazies using two gas trucks. He shot the first truck, causing a larger explosion, killing the phone-crazies almost immediately. Headed towards Kashwak & met Daniel Hartwick, Denise Link and Ray Huizenga outside Kent Pond on the night of 11 October. They tried to go different directions but were soon reunited after the flocks effected the others minds. Ray told him to call the cell phone number given to him at the right time, then shot himself. Clay realised it was a bomb, and had Jordan move the bus for maximum effect. After the explosion he sent the others north while he stayed and looked for his son, whom he found. After a week or so he decided to try and use the phone once again |
| Riddell, John Gavin (Johnny) (Johnny-Gee) | 12 year old son of Sharon and Clayton Riddell. One month before the pulse he started in middle school, 5 miles away from where his mother works, so he was given a cellphone. He survived the initial Pulse, escaping to the safety of the Town Hall in Kent Pond, after leaving a note for his father. Left another note dated 3 October saying that he was going to head to Kashwak on the 4th or 5th. Found by Clayton sometime after 15 October, and started to speak about a week later, but did not progress. Clay decided to use the cell phone on him again to see what would happen |
| Riddell, Sharon | Wife of Clayton Riddell. Teaches at Kent Pond Elementary School. Johnny saw her on 3 October and confirmed she was a phone-crazy. Seen by Clayton Riddell at the Northern Counties Expo, and probably killed in the explosion |
| Rivers, Doc | Celtics coach |
| Robin | From Batman and Robin. Mentioned |
| Schilling, Curt | Seen beat 'the Big Unit' by George and his older brother the previous year |
| Schubert, ? | His music was played at the Northern Counties Expo by the phone-crazies |
| Scottoni, Judy | Daughter in law of Scottoni, neighbour of Thomas McCourt. She was one of the October hundreds of phone-crazies were seen walking down Salem Street on 2 October. Blond hair, and stud through her nose, and pregnant. When she walked back that afternoon she was carrying a giant tub of chocolate ice-cream. Knocked down when she tried to take another persons leg of lamb |
| Scottoni, Mr | Neighbour of Thomas McCourt. They did not get on because of Tom's sexual preferences |
| Shakespeare, William | Poet thought of by Clayton Riddell |
| Shirley, John | Author read by Jordan |
| Sleepy Gene | Character from Clayton Riddell's 'Dark Wanderer' |
| Sorcerer John | Character from Clayton Riddell's 'Dark Wanderer' |
| Spears, Britney | Her song 'Oops!... I did it again' was heard during a fight between two phone-crazies |
| Spike | Character in Warner Brothers cartoons |
| St Anthony | Denise Link said a prayer to St Anthony to help find the cellphone number |
| Steinman, Mitch | Friend of Johnny Riddell. With him after the Pulse hit |
| Steinman, Mrs | Mother of Mitch Steinmen. She was a normal person, and was heading to Kashwak with Mitch and Johnny Riddell on the 4th or 5th of October |
| Stephenson, Neal | Author read by Jordan |
| Sterling, Bruce | Author read by Jordan |
| Sullivan, Mr | Taught Alice Maxwell Earth Science in middle school |
| Summer, Donna | Her song 'Hot Stuff' was on the jukebox at the Twilight Motel |
| Van Gogh, Vincent | Thomas McCourt called Clayton Riddell 'van Gogh' |
| Van Halen | Thomas McCourt took his boombox to Hampton Beach, New Hampshire and listened to Van Halen and Madonna CD's |
| Vermicelli, ? | Thomas McCourt called Clayton Riddell 'O great Vermicelli' |
| Vivaldi, Antonio | His music was played at the Northern Counties Expo by the phone-crazies |
| Wakefield, Tim | Played for the Red Sox. Johnny Riddell had a t-shirt with his name and number on the back |
| Warbucks, Daddy | From the movie 'Annie' |
| Welk, Lawrence | It was his version of 'Baby Elephant Walk' that was heard along route 102, east of Manchester |
| Welk, Lawrence | Thought of by Clayton Riddell in his dream |
| Wizard Flack | Character from Clayton Riddell's 'Dark Wanderer' |
| Wolff, Tobias | Stayed in Cheatham Lodge at Gaiten Academy. Gave a lecture on his book 'Old School' |
| Womack, Lee Ann | Her song 'I Hope You Dance' was played by the phone-crazies at Tonney field |
| Wood, Wallace | Cartoon artist that Clayton Riddell saw talking about 'Panic Eye' |
| Yorick | Alice Maxwell was staring at the sneaker 'like it was the skull of Yorick' |
