Chapters 5-6 Summary

In Chapter 5, Lena has a recurring dream that she's on a cliff's edge, and as she's about to fall, she sees her mother dead in the water below before awaking. When Lena wakes, Gracie is in bed with her. Lena knows that Gracie isn't dumb. She can speak, but chooses not to. She is grieving for her mother.

Lena goes down to breakfast and discovers the official reason for the cattle invading the evaluations is a supposed shipping mix-up. The government denies the existence of Invalids. The U.S. exists completely closed off, behind protected borders. Lena is relieved that her evaluation has been invalidated and rescheduled, so she gets a second chance. Lena tells her family that she's tired because she had a bad dream, and her uncle says he dreamed as well, one of the few dreams he has...