The Scorpion Rules by Erin Bow

Author:Erin Bow
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Margaret K. McElderry Books

I have never been more proud to be a Child of Peace. By the time we made it to the toppled pumpkin trellises, all the Children were outside, and working in the gardens.

The soldiers bunched up here and there, watching and bewildered. How useless are guns against those who are fearless. How foolish, to set force against innocence. Their own strength made them small.

And to their smallness, we sang.

The Children of Peace do not as a rule sing. But the Cumberlanders couldn’t, wouldn’t know that. And it baffled them. So we did it.

Thandi—of all people—started it. I did not know if the words were nonsense or Xhosa, but her voice surprised me with its grace. The rhythms were easy and rolling, and the music spilled down over the terraces. Soon everyone was singing. That morning there were songs from every corner of the world. Da-Xia and Elián and I were soon joined by the rest of the cohort in picking through the debris of the pumpkin trellis.

We sorted through the pumpkins, and all the while we sang. Even Elián sang for us: “Jack of diamonds, jack of diamonds, I know you of old. . . .” (It was a song about poor impulse control. Naturally.) Then some small one tried to interest the terraces in “Rockabye Baby,” and my friends slipped toward silence.

Rockabye baby, your cradle is green

Father’s a king, and mother’s a queen

When apples are ripe and ready to fall

Down will come baby, apples and all

I was mesmerized by the old song, so much so that I jumped when Elián spoke suddenly, and too loud. “Will Talis really— What will the UN do?”

He looked at me. In his hearing I had wished for the destruction of the entire nation of Cumberland. No, more than wished. I had invoked it, called it down like a sibyl calling down the wave that swamped Atlantis. From the map, I had said. In that moment I had wanted it, passionately. The death of millions.

“Talis will most likely negotiate,” said Grego cautiously.

“No,” said Da-Xia. “Forgive me, Gregori, Elián, but—no. We remember him, in the Himalayas, as you do not remember him here. Talis might do many things. But he will certainly not negotiate.”

“Oh,” said Elián.

It was different, considering the destruction of Cumberland, when you had to look a Cumberlander—even one—in the eye.

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