strangetomato | Drabble+: Nightmare

Entry tags:

Drabble+: Nightmare

There's nothing quite like breaking your own rules, is there? I'm contrary like that, so actually coming out and saying I'm not going to post much will obviously make me want to write something. So here it is... a drabble+.

Prompt: A character wakes from a nightmare in the middle of the night to the person they least want to see at that moment.
Characters: Tank Grunt (and others, but you'll have to read it to see)
Wordcount: 400
Warnings: language, violence

Then Johnny stopped moving. Tank held his neck in his hands, and Johnny looked back at him with lifeless eyes.

He was dead, and Tank had killed him.

Finally.

Goddamned alien piece of shit.

But why did he feel so empty?

Oh, god. He had killed him.

"Johnny... Johnny?!" Tank shook him. "Shit... I didn't mean it. Wake up, you asshole!"

Frantically, he tried to revive him, but it was too late.

Then Ripp was there, wailing. He fell onto the corpse in despair. "Johnny! You've killed him. You've killed my Johnny!"

"Stop it!" Tank yelled, "Stop crying!"

"You killed him. My brother... you killed my brother."

"I'M your brother."

Why, Ripp? Why him? Why not me?

"I hate you."

Had he said the words, or had Ripp?

Then he was choking him, pressing Ripp to the floor, and feeling the life go out of him too.

Why not me?

He was killing him.

He wanted to stop, but couldn't.

He tried to break out of it, but couldn't.

He tried to scream, but nothing came out.

"Tank?" Frances was on him, shaking him. "TANK!"

Tank still couldn't move or say anything. He couldn't even catch his breath. He could see the room around him, and Frances reaching down at him, but he couldn't move. Frances had his hands reaching out towards his neck, and he thought he must be trying to kill him too. He tried to yell, "Get the fuck off of me!" but nothing came out.

"Tank?! What's wrong with you? Stop it! Wake up! You're scaring me." Frances felt his panic rising, and the next thing he knew, he had slapped Tank squarely across the face. "WAKE UP!"

Tank woke up.

For a moment, they just stared at each other. Tank wanted to escape, to shove Frances aside and get out of there, but he felt a strange comfort in having him there too.

He didn't want to be comforted.

He didn't need it.

How much of that had Frances been able to witness? Had he cried out in his sleep? Dreams were blurring into reality, and he didn't want Frances to see that... to see what he had done. He didn't want Frances on his bed either.

"You... hit me."

"I'm sorry." Frances bit his quivering lip, and tried not to cry, but the panic and relief were too much for him.

"God... don't cry."

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Love the insight into Tank's hatred of Johnny. I didn't really consider he'd be jealousy over Johnny usurping his brotherly ties to Ripp. That was awesome. I also adored Frances "to the rescue" - and that last line had me laughing, because it's such a cute depiction of those two. I could totally imagine Tank groaning at having to calm Frances down now.

There's something about the freedom of hiatus that makes the Muse charge itself and inspire the most stubborn of us. At any rate, it's exciting to see a new drabble. I really like the way you write Tank, how he doesn't say much but what he does say holds a lot more weight. He's definitely grown a lot as a character. I also like how Frances is gaining some courage of his own. Great job!

Awesome! Good to see you back, haha. :D I love you made Francis to cry, he's an angel.

@tanathir: Ugh, tell me about it! Muses have the habit of tapping you on the shoulder just when you don't expect - or even want - it.

@ST: Very compelling, if a little confusing - unless it was meant to be. I'm curious about these drabbles though; looks like something I'd like to try, but I'm new to the whole idea of them. Where do the prompts/character ideas come from?

Lol. I finally go to comment on your hiatus and you aren't quite....hiatused. If you do end up disappearing for awhile though, it's cool. You deserve the break and I think we can all relate to burn out/real life stuff/etc. so no sweat. I'll be here when/if you get back.

In any case, I love this drabble. There's something about it that just feels very different from your normal writing. It's more charged with something.

Little things I loved:

"You've killed my Johnny!" The possessiveness of it. Even though it's Tank's dream, there's still something in that cry that drips with Ripp.

"You've killed my brother." And then it the whole reality of Johnny being more of a brother to Ripp then Tank and how it makes Tank feel inadequate. And then, even in his dream, Tank responds with anger.

Then Frances saves the day! Oh and it was lovely. How he wants the comfort that Frances gives off, because Frances is his first real friend and he appreciates that and needs that. I love that he also wants to push Frances away and he doesn't want Frances on his bed, because he's still got so many prejudices. And Frances hit him, and he's apologetic, but Tank's mostly in awe.

Also Frances crying paralleling with Ripp crying in the dream and just.... my heart!

So umm, basically I love this. Awesome job!

Dude, that drabble request post really must be useful! So useful in fact, that I've decided to make one in my own journal.

Anyway, back to your entry. Everything

beyondheroism__ said I would have said. :P

I must admit though, I was a bit shocked when it said in the beginning that Tank had killed Johnny and it took me a while to remember that the subject of the drabble was "nightmare".

Wow, that drabble was intense. I don't think Tank would ever really kill Johnny, but you never know. I love how Frances was the one who saved him.

I always get mad plot bunnies when I shouldn't be, too. :D

See, stuff like this is why I love Tank. He's just so sad and lost and awkward. But when he comes out the other side, when he's finally feeling safe and happy? It's the best. (I mean autonomously. Autonomous Tank in love is the best thing ever.)

I'm getting to far ahead of your story. He might not even get his happy ending. But I love how in your version, he's so recognizable to me. I mean... I haven't played with all your premade characters, but he's the one (of yours) I "know" the best. Does that make sense? And it's amazing, because they're lives are so different, but it's still essentially him. :D

I don't think he'd ever do it purposely, but he's very strong, very angry and very hurt. In a lot of ways he's a bomb waiting to go off.

Completely agree. Tank's a very interesting character to work with, and he's already given me tons of ideas. I accidentally put him in the wrong room, but I find it interesting that, despite his macho outer shell, he's the one with the flower painting in his room.

I also love Ripp to pieces :D He's such a sad character when you start the game, all this stuff that he's had to put up with. I just wanna give him a big hug and tell him it'll be alright :(

Believe it or not though, I'm also thoroughly enjoying working with Buzz. That guy has so much potential despite his lack of nice points - no one's completely bad, after all, and I've had great fun diving into his mind :D

*is feeling strong urge to add drabble request post to her own journal*

Ever realized what that flower is called? The Lone Daisy. It just made me so sad for Tank when I went into the house to play the Grunts for the first time.

Ophelia has the same painting in her bedroom. It seems to suit both characters very well to me.

(Though, if that had been Ripp's room, it would play into my theory that Ripp and Ophelia were meant to be involved with each other on some level... but there's only one Grunt who'd own those angsty band posters and the green lamp.)

Hmm... So was Maxis trying to tell us something? :P

Nah, I think that the painting really does fit those two. And you are so right about those angsty band posters. To tell you the truth I don't really think those fit Ripp. They just seem like another reason why so many people depict him as a whiny emo little brat.

Well, probably not, but having Tank steal his enemy's girlfriend is an interesting way to go with their story, I've always thought. Not really the one I feel is "the right outcome" (if such a thing exists), but I think it would be an interesting angle, and it works for me.

And actually, I've always looked at Tank's painting as probably being something that belonged to his mother, since it seems odd for a teenage boy to hang something like that in his bedroom, and I can't imagine Buzz being cool with it otherwise.

Nah, I always saw the posters as just Ripp's interest in music (and, for me, that all started with his LTW - to become a rock god, which I think suits him perfectly), and a way to rebel against his father, who probably wouldn't like posters tacked all over the walls. The rest of the house is pretty standard-issue and austere.

Yeah, Ripp gets portrayed that way quite frequently, doesn't he? Or just as being very sad and very "sweet". I can see that, on one hand, but I couldn't imagine him not being a bold, carefree, dirty minded wiseass at the same time. For me, Ripp is many things. :P

Oh, and my other theory on the flower painting is just lack of paintings that come with the basegame. :P

I see Tank's hatred of Johnny as having many layers to it. First of all, he's an alien... that's strike one. Their fathers hated each other... reason number two. Johnny's father humiliated his father, which makes him want to "right" that wrong, and he ends up being humiliated by Johnny too by getting his ass kicked. Then there's also the fact that Johnny is so popular and successful, and Ripp practically worships him. There seem to be so many good reasons to hate Johnny, if you're Tank. If I was Tank, I know I would.

Frances makes such an unlikely hero that I find myself being really enamored of the idea. (It will resurface one day in a more significant way, if I ever get there. *crosses fingers*) And yeah, I like that final scene too, with Tank uncomfortably trying to stop Frances from crying. He's come to accept that sort of thing from Frances, but it still embarrasses him.

I'm also wanting to put a drabble request in my journal! XD It's a trend, lol!

Tank's dream seemed to almost illustrate how out-of-control he feels at times, and his mixed and conflicted emotions. Like once you get past him and Johnny hating each other, they can actually become very good friends (similar interests and all of that... it's the same with Vidcund and Loki.) I've always thought he'd *rather* be friends with Johnny, but felt compelled to live up to what his dad wanted with all the alien-hating.

I love that Frances was the one who he woke up to. :D

Briefest. Hiatus. Ever.

*snicker*

Maybe you just need to indulge in some text only offerings for a bit? You could use them to advance the main story, too (then you could get to the "fun stuff" instead of all the "have to write this first" crap).

Add me to the list of folks who enjoy your take on Tank. (it makes me wish you hadn't offed dear Buzz so soon, I bet you'd give him a great anaylsis, too).

DO IT! (the drabble request on your journal)

All the ~cool~ kids are doing it!

Or it's just the whole idea that pointing out something will make it happen (around here, one doesn't talk about the nice weather for fear it will rain... that sort of superstition is very familiar to me). I didn't want to leave people wondering what happened to me, but now speaking of it will probably make it a brief hiatus. I still don't see an update happening for a while, though. I'm thinking a couple of weeks, which isn't really that much of a break... but it is when you consider how often I used to update.

Thank you. I've always really loved that about Tank too. He seems like the type that doesn't let so much come to the surface, and his whole place in the story as the General's "good" son and growing up to find himself in the middle of all that with the military and the aliens, well it just has so much potential, don't you think? It seems a shame to me when people pull him out of that and turn him around too quickly. I think it would take a while for him to wash off the face paint... and even once it's gone, it would still linger on in his mind for much longer still.

Wow. That really would be a really bad nightmare. :( And then waking up and having Frances comfort him...I really love getting more insight into Tank :) He's a quiet but complicated guy. :)

Good job on this as always, and feel free to break any rules you want! The more from you the better. (But of course have your break and rest and stuff too) Anyways, it's always fun for me to read your stuff. :)

Awwwww, Frances waking Tank up from the dream. I love their friendship. Frances the little cry baby and Mr. Macho Tank.

"God... don't cry."

That's something I would say, too. Sometimes I can relate to Tank, haha. I feel a little weird saying that. ..Yehp.

I've always felt bad for Tank, part of me thinks some of the reason he hates aliens so much, would be because he feels he lost his brother to Johnny. Ripp seems to make sure Tank knows he's second best to Johnny sometimes.

I love reading more into Ripp, he's such an interesting character. (Also, it doesn't hurt that Frances takes a big part in his life, whether Tank wants to admit it or not! :P)

I made one too. XD

Am I cool now?

Nope. :P

Okay, sure... but you're only as cool as I am.

But ur like, teh coolest bc of ur e-fame! *is jealous*

I'm about as cool as Jon Arbuckle. ;) You've been warned.

Don't be jealous... it's not like I have an e-peen, or something. (Now THAT would be cool. *snicker* Yes, I have penis envy... but only if I can have a detachable one. *is not crazy*)

Threaded | Top-Level Comments Only

Page 1 of 3

Drabble+: Nightmare

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject