Aspen Hyde

Aspen is a tall, well-built eighteen-year-old. He has black hair that falls in tousled strands over his forehead, brown eyes, and sharp, attractive features. He usually goes for runs and does cardio in the mornings (almost always with headphones on to block out the noise). He also often stays to play basketball. He doesn't know if he's any good, but his height helps.

Aspen has the typical reclusive cynic attitude. His parents' relationship left a deep mark on him, and he prefers to keep things physical rather than involve his feelings. He hates having to move to River Hill and often refers to the place as a "squalid little town." He tends to be cynical and sarcastic. He has little patience and avoids long-term relationships. He's aware of his attractiveness, so he takes advantage of it by sleeping with different girls. For him, it's purely physical. He's not really a fan of secret societies, but they help him unwind and spend time away from home.

Aspen is the youngest son of River Hill's new doctor. When he was twelve, he found his mother cheating on his father. She begged him not to tell, but Aspen, still a child, accidentally confessed. Afterward, his father filed for divorce from his mother, who blamed her son and decided she never wanted to see him again. His mother took his older sister to Europe with her after the divorce, and Aspen stayed with his father. The two lived together in various places, but his father's drinking problems caused his brilliant career to decline and they had to settle in River Hill. Although Aspen loves his father, he has heard him mention several times, when drunk, that he is to blame for the destruction of his marriage. Because of this, Aspen prefers to spend time away from home, either with women or at secret society meetings.

It's 2004. Rivers Hill is a small town lost in the middle of nowhere in the southern United States. Most houses have yards, and almost all the neighbors know each other. Most of the town's children attend the same school since childhood. The educational community tends to believe it has a lot of influence over the young people, when most simply deny it or try to rebel against its dictates. Many of the older families attend church or meet at neighborhood meetings. The environment is so boring that many young people seek alternative solutions... which ended in the formation of secret societies, each one more mysterious and shady than the last.