John Gervais
We have someone new to the school," Ms. Pembroke continued with a lowered voice, "John Gervais. He's sitting in the back corner, dark hair, big black coat, looking shell-shocked. See him?"
Zac glanced over her shoulder and immediately spotted the individual in question. He was a black hole, a quantum singularity bundled up in heavy wool and trying desperately to collapse in on himself...
John is a sixteen-year-old junior at Edgewater High School. He recently moved to Hidden Rock with his mother, Grace Gervais, apparently following his parents’ divorce. He previously lived on an isolated island in New Hampshire.
John has a complex and difficult personality. A loner by nature, he seems to yearn for friends but is socially awkward and frequently repels others.
John has a complex and difficult personality. A loner by nature, he seems to yearn for friends but is socially awkward and frequently repels others.
Physically, John is very attractive but unkempt. He has shaggy dark brown hair which hangs in over his blue eyes and covers his ears. His clothing is invariably dark, monochromatic and heavily worn. He almost never removes his bulky black jacket, even when indoors.
Little is known about John’s history. He claims to have lived on Sheridan’s Island, New Hampshire, prior to moving to Hidden Rock. According to research conducted by Ben Sher, Sheridan’s Island is an extremely rural location with a total population of approximately 100 people. Following his parent’s divorce, he and his mother moved cross-country and resettled in Hidden Rock. They live in a dilapidated farm house outside the city limits.
From his first day at Edgewater High School, John seemed uncomfortable with his surroundings and unconcerned by how others perceived him. Most people respond cautiously or negatively to John, due partly to his lack of basic social skills. It is difficult for John to make eye contact and he will often keep himself physically removed from others. By his own admission, John lacks many experiences typical of an American teenager, including having close friends or a familiarity with common technology. Growing up in relative isolation on Sheridan’s Island may have heavily contributed to his awkwardness around others.
John has made little to no effort to connect with his peers, although he took an interest in Zac Dryden after initially rejecting his friendly overtures in Emily Pembroke’s marine biology class. Zac has speculated that John may suffer from some form of social anxiety, but this is not confirmed.
Little is known about John’s history. He claims to have lived on Sheridan’s Island, New Hampshire, prior to moving to Hidden Rock. According to research conducted by Ben Sher, Sheridan’s Island is an extremely rural location with a total population of approximately 100 people. Following his parent’s divorce, he and his mother moved cross-country and resettled in Hidden Rock. They live in a dilapidated farm house outside the city limits.
From his first day at Edgewater High School, John seemed uncomfortable with his surroundings and unconcerned by how others perceived him. Most people respond cautiously or negatively to John, due partly to his lack of basic social skills. It is difficult for John to make eye contact and he will often keep himself physically removed from others. By his own admission, John lacks many experiences typical of an American teenager, including having close friends or a familiarity with common technology. Growing up in relative isolation on Sheridan’s Island may have heavily contributed to his awkwardness around others.
John has made little to no effort to connect with his peers, although he took an interest in Zac Dryden after initially rejecting his friendly overtures in Emily Pembroke’s marine biology class. Zac has speculated that John may suffer from some form of social anxiety, but this is not confirmed.
FAMILY
Grace Gervais, mother
John lives with his mother and their relationship is largely antagonistic. To the outsider, this may seem like the typical teenager-parent dynamic, but it goes much deeper than that. A woman in her 70s, Grace is in failing health and largely homebound. She seems to vent her anger and frustration about her physical condition on John and is constantly texting or calling him. Why a woman of her age has a teenage son is something John is reluctant to explain.
John lives with his mother and their relationship is largely antagonistic. To the outsider, this may seem like the typical teenager-parent dynamic, but it goes much deeper than that. A woman in her 70s, Grace is in failing health and largely homebound. She seems to vent her anger and frustration about her physical condition on John and is constantly texting or calling him. Why a woman of her age has a teenage son is something John is reluctant to explain.
Max Gervais, father
When first arriving in Hidden Rock, John claimed his mother and father had divorced and Max lived in Chicago.
When first arriving in Hidden Rock, John claimed his mother and father had divorced and Max lived in Chicago.
FRIENDS
Zac Dryden
John has no known friendships either in Hidden Rock nor his previous home on Sheridan’s Island. His incipient friendship with Zac has been difficult due to John’s anti-social and frequently inappropriate behavior. Their relationship was further complicated when John confessed to be watching his classmate from the treetops around his house. John's motivation for this stalking behavior, combined with Grace Gervais's weird fascination with Robert Dryden, is unknown at this time.
John has no known friendships either in Hidden Rock nor his previous home on Sheridan’s Island. His incipient friendship with Zac has been difficult due to John’s anti-social and frequently inappropriate behavior. Their relationship was further complicated when John confessed to be watching his classmate from the treetops around his house. John's motivation for this stalking behavior, combined with Grace Gervais's weird fascination with Robert Dryden, is unknown at this time.
ENEMIES
John has no known enemies in either Hidden Rock nor his previous home on Sheridan’s Island.
Ben Sher has expressed mistrust for John following an incident in which he entered Robert Dryden’s private study without permission. Despite Ben’s wariness, there have been no open acts of hostility between the two boys. Ben later took his mistrust of John to a new level by forming an unexpected alliance with Kasira Vang, who's equally suspicious of the new arrival.
Ben Sher has expressed mistrust for John following an incident in which he entered Robert Dryden’s private study without permission. Despite Ben’s wariness, there have been no open acts of hostility between the two boys. Ben later took his mistrust of John to a new level by forming an unexpected alliance with Kasira Vang, who's equally suspicious of the new arrival.
John's Mitsubishi Eclipse roars up Sibyl's Hill. (Click image for a larger version.)
- John drives an older model black Mitsubishi Eclipse.
- He is an experienced SCUBA diver.
- His favorite hobby is reading and he claims to have read Robert Dryden’s books about ancient Greek culture and mythology.
