The Gronk-LaTwonks decided to get straight down to the serious business of domination. No scruples could be afforded while clawing their way up the social ladder. This was a quest to force their way into a position of respect and envy. Over breakfast one cold, dark morning, Gronk and Munter sat their children down. They focussed Griselina and Gideon on the framed rules, which hung on the paint-peeled wall. They were proud of the rules.
It’s time to impart my inspiring tactical knowledge, Gronk thought and cast a stern look at his family.
“Let’s begin with the psychological part of the attack…” Gronk ordered.
“Wha… what’s that?” Gideon butted in.
“We have to break those Nobody children down psychologically,” Munter explained in a gravelly voice.
“Huh?” Griselina asked, confused.
“We have to be nasty. Really rude and nasty!!” Munter snapped.
“We can also hit and cheat to increase their misery,” Gronk added excitedly. He walked around the kitchen with an air of magnitude. I am the supreme Commander, he imagined, double-tapping a pointer stick at the rules.
Griselina concentrated intently, whilst Gideon’s nose ran. They had been tested many times and knew the rules off-by-heart. But it was always good to cast an eye over them to make sure. It was time to put the learning into practice and spiteful smirks spread across their faces. Griselina and Gideon knew they were up to the task.
I’ll now inspire the troops. Gronk took a deep breath.
“We are embarking upon a mission for a better future,” he chirped in a raised voice. “This is an opportunity of a lifetime. The Nobodys are our path to success. We will trounce them. We will trample them. We will humiliate them. Along the way, we will turn light into darkness and when I decide to, errr, switch the light back on again, it’ll be the radiance of Gronk-LaTwonk success. Show no mercy. Show no pity. Show no compassion. As a family, we are without equal. Everybody in the Snook will marvel at our magnificence. We will be the elite. We will take advantage. We will deserve victory. Good luck all!”
Gronk marched over the dog-eared lino and out of the dank kitchen. The door squeaked shut. In the hallway, he thought about the opportunity to one-upthemselves. The spoils of war would soon be theirs for the taking: Prestige, respect and status.
Copyright © 2023 Callum Stanford. All rights reserved.
Very enjoyable, Callum. I suppose your characters are modeled on English people, but there’s a lot of American in them.
David, yes the characters are English. But I lived in the US as a child and have visited many times since moving back to England. So that has probably crept into the characters.