In Chapter 7, Lina is anxious to decipher the contents of the ancient document. She thinks that the parchment contains writing that originated from the Builders of Ember. However, Lina needs help to figure out what the original writing means, as her baby sister, Poppy, chewed on the paper, and pieces of the document are missing.

When she confides in Captain Fleery, the captain is skeptical about the value of the document. She says that it could be a very old recipe or even someone's old homework assignment. Captain Fleery advises Lina not to worry about the contents of the paper, as help is coming. She tells Lina that the Builders who built Ember will return to save the city. Currently, the city is in great danger: supplies are low, the corruption in the ranks of the leadership has reached troubling levels, and the lights seem to be failing. While Lina thinks that the document may contain some much needed help for the beleaguered city of Ember, Captain Fleery is less convinced.

She admits that her faith in the return of the Builders originates from a dream she has had; taking Lina into her confidence, Captain Fleery confesses that the rest of the Believers have also had this dream, and they are sure that it will come true. She invites Lina to a Believers meeting, but Lina is non-committal. She has no interest in waiting around for the Builders to show up; instead, she feels that she has to be a little more proactive in looking for a solution for Ember's future.