Intimidation

To earn their rightful place in the Snook, the Gronk-LaTwonks needed to pick on another family. What better way to enter higher social circles than torment and humiliate with antagonism and lies? And Gronk knew exactly who it should be. They were Outsiders and, in Gronk’s view, vulnerable enough to be crushed by the unstoppable Gronk-LaTwonk juggernaut.

Sitting on creaky chairs, Gronk and Munter looked into the idea more closely. They considered who was in their children’s classes at school. Surrounded by a greasy cooker and dirty dishes, their shabby kitchen was the perfect place to think. There were obvious candidates who needed be pushed about, but they did not want to take on more than one family. Not yet anyway. That may lessen their chance of an easy win. Munter’s bony finger and crooked nail ran down lists of schoolchildren.

“There…” Gronk hissed, “that kid there…”

Munter scanned the names in Gideon’s class, not noticing a constant drip of the tap.

“Look at Griselina’s class as well,” Gronk added with a stabbing intensity. “There’s a Jack Nobody in Gideon’s class and a Lucy Nobody in Griselina’s.” Gronk clasped his hands together. “I used to rather successfully terrorise their father, the idiotic Steve Nobody, when I was a young buck,” Gronk smiled remembering his heyday. This felt so right.

“I… I’ve seen that bloke around. He’s much shorter than you,” Munter added. “A weakling I’d say. And his wife seems unexceptional as well,” a wet smirk spread across her broad face. “AND she’s tiny compared to me. They’re Outsiders aren’t they?” Munter noticed a wave of leaves blow past the mouldy kitchen window. Cobwebs draping from the ceiling swayed in a cold draft.

“They most certainly are,” Gronk replied through chipped teeth.

“D’you reckon they’ll put up much of a struggle against us?”

“Oh, I don’t think so, my darling. They’ll be no match!” He beamed darkly.

“That’s settled then, we’ll take on the Nobodys and grind them down. It’ll demonstrate we’re a force to be reckoned with,” Munter announced.

“Within the year, the whole village will look up to me… ahem, I mean us,” Gronk predicted as wind swirled crisp leaves outdoors.

“Yes, I’m sure of that, my treasure,” Munter agreed with a leaky smile.

And so, the idea was formed. By hook or by crook, the Gronk-LaTwonks would find a way to beat their rivals. The old feud was going to be reignited with a vengeance. The Gronk-LaTwonks versus the Nobodys. And Gronk knew it would be a one-sided contest.

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