The House of the Scorpion

In the infirmary, Ton-Ton complains about the pain. The Keeper trainee Luna tells Ton-Ton that he looks awful. When Ton-Ton threatens to beat him up, Luna says that he can’t now that he is a Keeper. Confused, Matt asks Luna if he was a Lost Boy. Luna says that all Lost Boys become Keepers eventually, which makes no sense to Matt because there are too many boys and not enough Keepers. No matter how Matt explains it, Ton-Ton and Luna fail to understand the math. Ton-Ton cleans the Keeper’s compound and knows about their luxuries. Matt realizes that Ton-Ton isn’t stupid—he is observant and knowledgeable about factory machinery but is careful about his opinions. Ton-Ton doesn’t understand why he was beaten so cruelly when he didn’t do anything wrong. Matt insists Ton-Ton describe the food the Keepers eat, asking the two if it is fair that the Keepers have all the luxuries that they don’t. Though Luna retorts that they earned it, Ton-Ton thinks it over.

Luna offers Matt more laudanum, admitting that he takes it often. Ton-Ton says that trainees aren’t allowed to take drugs until they become Keepers. Matt realizes that the Keepers get high and turn into zombies every night, leaving the factory unguarded.