Day
- At the very beginning of Part 1 (called "The Boy Who Walks In the Light"), we meet Day, who is running from the law and wanted by the Republic.
- The Republic of America doesn't really know what Day looks like though, so he's hiding in plain site with his friend Tess, who is another street child.
- He's keeping an eye on his family, who live in the Lake sector of Los Angeles. Apparently there's a plague going around, and he's afraid that the authorities are going to come and mark his family's home with a big red X.
- He's watching carefully—Day always checks in on his family even though it's kind of dangerous—and sees soldiers coming up to the family's home.
- As he's watching the soldiers walk up, a plague victim runs out and the soldiers shoot her dead.
- Day is kind of a thief, so he's brought some gifts for his family, including a used pair of goggles for his brother John—who is the only person in the family who knows that Day is still alive. Other than that, he's brought a bunch of food.
- He starts thinking about his little brother, Eden, and how he's turning ten and will have to take a the Trial. That's the test that decides whether you get a higher education in the Republic or whether you join the poor… and if you fail completely, the Republic takes you away and kills you.
- The soldiers go inside and are in there for a very long time. Day starts to get nervous.
- Then the soldiers come out and mark the door—except it's different from the usual X. There's another line going through it, which cuts the X in half.