The Curse

A resourceful teenage boy who must protect his younger sister while navigating a town-wide horror. He defies dangerous relatives and steals clean water to shield himself and Alice from infected surroundings. Zack embodies resilience, courage under pressure, and a stubborn determination to survive.

Zack’s stern, pious stepfather who blames his wife’s infidelity for the blight and tries to maintain control. His fear of disaster twists into violence as infection spreads, revealing a conflicted moral compass. In the end, he is brought down by both the mutagen and his own stubbornness.

Nathan’s dim-witted stepson who becomes increasingly violent as the infection spreads. His insecurity and brute force push him toward aggression against family members. Cyrus represents the dangerous escalation of fear when the unknown invades a home.

A nearby physician who investigates the meteorite’s mutagen and tries to warn others. He becomes a reluctant ally in Zack and Alice’s fight for safety before being murdered in a confrontation with Nathan. Forbes embodies scientific curiosity and the impulse to help in a crisis.

A TVA representative surveying the area who becomes an early target of the mutagen. He helps Zack and Alice escape as the house collapses, and his presence highlights the tension between economic development and public safety.

Forbes’ wife who manipulates her husband to keep quiet, prioritizing property values over safety. She meets a brutal end as the mutation spreads, illustrating how fear and greed can drive destructive choices.

Local realtor and head of the chamber of commerce who tries to shield the community and doctor from scrutiny. He becomes entangled in the danger as infected dogs attack and he seeks hiding places, ultimately meeting a grim fate.

Zack’s mother, a stern figure whose infidelity becomes a catalyst for turmoil in the family. She mutates as the blight overtakes the house, symbolizing the corruption that spreads through relationships as well as soil and water.

Zack’s younger sister who endures the town’s horror with quiet resilience. She is attacked by infected animals and kept safe by Zack as they navigate escape from the collapsing house.

A farm-hand who has an affair with Frances; he is an external influence in the story, and his presence contributes to the moral and emotional complexity of the Cranes’ situation.