The House of the Scorpion
the house of the scorpion
ALSO BY THE AUTHOR
A Girl Named Disaster
The Warm Place
The Ear, the Eye and the Arm
Do You Know Me
Atheneum Books for Young Readers
An imprint of Simon & Schuster Children’s Publishing Division
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, New York 10020
www.SimonandSchuster.com
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events or locales or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.
Copyright © 2002 by Nancy Farmer
All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form.
Book design by O’Lanso Gabbidon
The text for this book is set in Bembo.
Printed in the United States of America
10 9
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Farmer, Nancy.
The house of the scorpion / Nancy Farmer.—1st ed.
p. cm.
Summary: In a future where humans despise clones, Matt enjoys special status as the young clone of El Patrón, the 140-year-old leader of a corrupt drug empire nestled between Mexico and the United States.
ISBN 0-689-85222-3
eISBN 978-1-439-10655-6
ISBN 978-0-689-85222-0
[1. Cloning—Fiction. 2. Science fiction.] I. Title.
PZ7.F23814 Mat 2002
[Fic]—dc21 2001056594
To Harold for his unfailing love and support, and to Daniel, our son. To my brother, Dr. Elmon Lee Coe, and my sister, Mary Marimon Stout. Lastly, and no less importantly, to Richard Jackson,
il capo di tutti capi
of children’s book editors.
CONTENTS
2. The Little House in the Poppy Fields
3. Property of the Alacrán Estate
11. The Giving and Taking of Gifts
30. When the Whales Lost Their Legs
CAST OF CHARACTERS
THE ALACRÁN FAMILY
Matt:
Matteo Alacrán, the clone
El Patron:
The original Matteo Alacrán; a powerful drug lord
Felipe:
El Patrón’s son; died long ago
El Viejo:
El Patrón’s grandson and Mr. Alacrán’s father; a very old man
Mr. Alacrán:
El Patrón’s great-grandson; husband of Felicia, father of Benito and Steven
Felicia:
Mr. Alacrán’s wife; mother of Benito, Steven, and Tom
Benito:
Oldest son of Mr. Alacrán and Felicia
Steven:
Second son of Mr. Alacrán and Felicia
Tom:
Son of Felicia and Mr. MacGregor
Fani:
Benito’s wife
VISITORS AND ASSOCIATES OF THE ALACRÁNS
Senator Mendoza:
A powerful politician in the United States; father of Emilia and María; also called Dada
Emilia:
Oldest daughter of Senator Mendoza
María:
Younger daughter of Senator Mendoza
Esperanza:
Emilia’s and María’s mother; disappeared when María was five
Mr. MacGregor:
A drug lord
SLAVES AND SERVANTS
Celia:
Chief cook and Matts caregiver
Tam Lin:
Bodyguard for both El Patron and Matt
Daft Donald:
Bodyguard for El Patron
Rosa:
Housekeeper; Matt’s jailer
Willum:
Chief doctor for the Alacrán household; Rosa’s lover
Mr. Ortega:
Matt’s music teacher
Teacher:
An eejit
Hugh, Ralf, and Wee Wullie:
Members of the Farm Patrol
PEOPLE IN AZTLÁN
Raúl:
A Keeper
Carlos:
A Keeper
Jorge:
A Keeper
Chacho:
A Lost Boy
Fidelito:
A Lost Boy; eight years old
Ton-Ton:
A Lost Boy; driver of the shrimp harvester
Flaco:
Oldest of the Lost Boys
Luna:
Lost Boy in charge of the infirmary
Guapo:
Old man celebrating
El Día de los Muertos
Consuela:
Old woman celebrating
El Día de los Muertos
Sister Inéz:
A nurse at the Convent of Santa Clara
MISCELLANEOUS CHARACTERS
Furball:
María’s dog
El Látigo Negro:
The Black Whip, an old TV character
Don Segundo Sombra:
Sir Second Shadow, an old TV character
El Sacerdote Volante:
The Flying Priest, an old TV character
Eejits:
People with computer chips in their brains; also known as zombies
La Llorona:
The Weeping Woman; mythical woman who searches in the night for her lost children
Chupacabras:
The goat sucker; mythical creature that sucks the blood out of goats, chickens, and, occasionally, people
ALACRÁN FAMILY HISTORY
the house of the scorpion
1I
N
T
HE
B
EGINNING