The Whole Armour of God - The Tale of Nibble and the Penguin's Quest - By Richard Blackwood by Titanium Design

Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Guide for Man and Penguins 1, CHAPTER ONE - Mission Creation Island. 2, CHAPTER TWO - Reader Beware. 3, CHAPTER THREE - A Fish Mish Interrupted. 4, CHAPTER FOUR - Gracious Mercy. 5, CHAPTER FIVE - The Bearer of Bravery. 6, CHAPTER SIX - A Question of Faith. 7, CHAPTER SEVEN - A Question of Salvation. 8, CHAPTER EIGHT - The Waterfall of Fate and Hate. 9, CHAPTER NINE - Truth. 10, CHAPTER TEN - The Cape of No Hope and The Sword of the LORD. 11, CHAPTER ELEVEN - Strengths length 12 , CHAPTER TWELVE - Devastation Destruction Destroyed 13, CHAPTER THIRTEEN - The Swirling Storm of Doom. 14, CHAPTER FOURTEEN - The anti-penguin appears. 15, CHAPTER FIFTEEN - No Escape 16, CHAPTER SIXTEEN - The Whole Armour of GOD. 17, CHAPTER SEVENTEEN - A Mystery Explained.

CHAPTER ONE MISSION CREATION ISLAND

What’s wrong with the sky? It’s taking forever to light up!, thought Nibble the young penguin as he waited on a sun that seemed to be taking forever this morning. He hadn't slept all night, and now at last the day had come, for today was the day it was finally here! For the first time he was old enough to be trusted on his own. Soon he shall execute his longed for mission, yes soon, if that sun would just hurry up! Nibble loved to hunt, loved the challenge of the chase, he stared out over the dark sea, impatiently, as he waited for the light to start his day of days, as he frigidly fidgeted in the cold morning chill. The night’s sky slowly began to release its grip as it brightened on the distant horizon. He had a secret plan and with much anticipation the time had almost come to carry it out. And carry it out he would!... If he could... which he will... Not much longer now, he could almost taste it... but it seemed that time was standing still, till... finally the sun’s fiery disk rose braking the sea and sky in half, slowly slicing up between the dark cold ocean and the hazy ice blue sky cutting them in two, its flaming flare danced warmly just above the horizon’s wave haze, the sun sharply shot intense orange and hot white light, like a fiery inferno into Nibbles sharp young eyes as they keenly reflected the flames of the sun back out to sea.

No more talk it was time to walk! ... But as he turned away, the sun’s shimmering light, ablaze on top of the waves, reaching sharply across from distant horizon to then lightly kiss the islands cliffs, drawing Nibbles attention to some unusual movement in the ocean far below the cliff where he stood. He looked back as the sun’s watery bright light line intensified and shimmered across the top of the sea’s silky surface, it was curiously cut up by lots of dark shapes, what were they?.. What was down there? ... there were so many... Nibble watched and waited, Then ... O Wow … they were the fins of killer whales!, Black, shiny sleek in the sun, their massive black dorsal fins were sticking up out of the water all over the place in their hundreds, breaking up the sun’s bright line of light. Nibble had seen them down there many times before, but never in such numbers. He thought, that’s strange, and wondered what were they all getting up to down there? But this wonderful spectacle did not hold his gaze for long, with his excitement dismissing it from his mind, as for him it was now bright enough to be on his way. He certainly didn't see it as a sign of any kind. Maybe, just maybe, he should have. The morning he set off it was a bright and sunny day, not a breath of wind, not a sound all around not a sign of what was to come. For with each minute that the morning gobbled up, the fast screeching deadly evil thing, gobbled up mile upon mile of open blue ocean, with nothing in it's way that could possibly stop it, as it got closer and closer to Nibble's isolated and unprotected island, as it headed straight for its intended victims...the penguins!. And little did Nibble know that in the not to distant future he was going to come across it, he was going to have to face it. It came on faster and faster, getting bigger and bigger with each minute that the morning threw up. The evil thing came on strongly and got stronger and stronger, screeching as it came and zeroing in on Nibble's beloved nesting and breeding ground, where his colony of fellow penguins lay, quietly basking in the rays of dawn's first light. Not a single penguin could have had any idea of what was coming, as they all quietly got ready for the new sunny day. If only they had! ... Or maybe it was for the best this way. Who knows? The Lord I suppose. Each family took such pride in their rocky nests, having come to the same spot year after year, high up in the cliff's canyon out of reach from the massive waves that swelled up out of the ocean's depths, that cast themselves ferociously at the island with all their might after their long march across the expanses of the lost seas domain, finally smashing at the base of the island's towering cliff fortress. Nibble stopped, stood and watched, as a tumultuous set of waves charged recklessly at this dangerous oceanic side of the island, where no penguins dared to fish, lest their bones get carelessly dashed and scattered in amongst the huge sun bleached white skeletons of long dead trees, cast high and dry haphazardly discarded among the black rocks, now all dead and silent witnesses to the ocean’s fury and power. 4

Nibble well remembered the terrible day when he and a few friends witnessed a huge blue whale, getting caught out by the treacherous rock rips and crazy currents at the base of the cruel cliff as it got closer and closer to the point of no return.... 'O' how the mighty whale had fought for its life, but alas it had all been in vain, as it too became the perilous cliffs next victim, and unwillingly lent his skeleton to the cruel coasts collection of sun bleached bones. If the blue whale, one of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mightiest creatures in all creation, was no match for the power of the oceanic waves down there, then what chance did a tiny little penguin have?!.. Nibble stood watching in awe, as foaming salt water cascaded and crashed onto each rock, throwing up great angry explosions of white water high into the air. A spectacular spectacle of waters deep heavy power versus unmoving and resolute stubborn volcanic lava. Nibble loved to watch the turmoil, but the thought of fishing down there sent chills of fear racing through his tingling spine. Thankfully however in stark contrast, far off on the other side of the island where Nibble was headed, lay the settled and tranquil coves of the fishing grounds, they being tucked safely away in a series of pleasant bays and nice neat nooks one after the other. As though from that side, a giant had taken lots of big bites from the candy coloured cliffs, casually crunching and munching mighty mouthfuls of magnificently munchy mortar, man... Then swallowing down the chocolaty coastal candy cakes till the giant, at having had his fill, then left the sheltered coast, cracked crazily, creating coves and bright, bite like beaches, scattered like pleasing puzzle pieces people. The giant must have been a messy eater, for he had left lots of numerously scattered islands, like dropped clumsy crumbs, randomly around the sheltered coast. They dotted and floated in the sea majestically, amongst the waves too numerous to count in broken chains where Nibble loved to hunt and play. For on the far-off side of the island, it looked like a criss-crossed craggy cookie with caches of calm coves, each like a giant's big bites, bitten out of the coast that now lay in the early morning's brilliant bright sun. A sun that danced on top of the ocean as it shone, like scattered diamonds cast across the crests of the crystal clear waves in the blissful beautiful beaches and bays, twinkling and winking at you to come swim with them in a celebration of God's creation in the swirling smooth silky sea. Here in the sunny sandy nooks and crannies, one day Nibbleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s two brand new twin brother and sister would also be patiently taught the art of the hunt by his mum and dad, who for now had to both stay behind to nurse them, until they too would be old enough to fend for themselves having acquired the fine art of the hunt for delicious but fast fresh fish. Nibble was so looking forward to the day when he could show all the cool stuff he had learnt and now mastered. As just quietly, he was like born to fish or something, man! Fishing was simply in his bones bro! He loved to fish down by

the shore, for sure, that’s where he'll fish for evermore! He couldn’t wait to show them all the best fishing spots, including a couple of sheltered secret spots that only he knew of. Sometimes as Nibbles was telling the twins about it, his excitement took over his tongue and tied it tightly up in knots of excitement. He explained it as ... “Ok ... I’m like underwater guys, it's like flying! It's cool, it's fast, it was so, oh, so much FUN! ... It... it ... IIIT'SS… it’s like hard to put it into words man, it’s…it’s ... Oh I give up man, you just have to do it, then you’ll know. Only a penguin knows the feeling they say, guys! Be patient, your time too will soon come.” he would say out of breath, as the twins squirmed about in the nest, feeding off there big brothers energy, as he flapped his wings excitedly at the speed of light in a blur. The twins loved to listen to their big brother’s stories, almost as much as they loved their big brother Nibble. However it was a big responsibility today, now that Nibble was trusted to get frightfully fresh fish food for the family, but Nibble loved it anyway. Nibble loved fishing almost as much as he loved his two brand new baby twin brother and sister. Now having first hugged them all goodbye for the day he set off on the long arduous walk to the far off hunting grounds at the other end of the beautiful, but deserted sprinkling of islands that hung in the water like a linked chain of volcanic jewels, a pleasing peppering of pleasant pinnacles if you please. As far as the sharpest eye could see, past the last pinnacle, there were no other islands nothing at all on the surface, with mile upon lonely mile of open blue ocean. As far as Nibble was concerned, there was no other land out there at all, in the penguins forgotten expanse of lost blue sea, that seemingly reached on and on for ever. It stretched 360 degrees east, west, north and into the frozen south, nothing on the top, other than the occasional iceberg. But under the oceans salty surface the sea was another world, a world teeming with life, this was Nibbles world; A penguin paradise, where penguins had lived and fished for as long as any of them could remember in their deserted corner of the globe, where Nibble called home. No fish were safe when Nibble got into hunting mode! “Take care, love”, Nibble’s mum called out after him as he got underway. “I will mum, see you when I get back.” He called out over his shoulder as he started to hop his way up the steep canyon walls that towered over his home plateau. But just then one of the slightly older penguins mockingly mimicked his mum as they called out " Take care love see you when you get back, hopefully you'll have grown some proper face feathers by then!" as most of the other young penguins within ear shot laughed, saying "bye, bye white face', see you when you get back" Nibbles dad calmly looked straight at the young offender and others so that they instantly fell silent, as Nibbles mum then said "Don’t listen to them son, they're all just jealous because you look different and unique, you stand out like they wish they could" 6

"thanks, they don't bother me mum, see you when I get back later" called out Nibble loudly so all could hear him in reply, as a few more stifled giggles rang in his ears and stung his heart. But in a neighbouring nest a pretty pair of eyes were watching Nibble, she was the prettiest penguin in these parts, and she liked the way Nibble carried himself plus she thought he may not look like all the others, that were now teasing him, but he appealed to her greatly she quite liked his white feathered face it made his blue eyes even more striking and his unique splashes of colour were quite beautiful she thought. She liked what she saw and loved the way Nibble stuck round to help out his family while other penguins left to do their own thing as soon as they were old enough. Nibble knew of her but not in a million years would he dare have thought that Curl the girl penguin would ever look at him that way let alone like him!. She could have any penguin she wanted. All the big young single penguins with perfect black feathery faces were always hanging around her trying get her attention from one another, it was ridiculous. Nibble hopped off on his lonely way with no clue that he was being watched by adoring eyes. What he had said to his mum was quite true, he liked that God had made him different, he just wished the others wouldn't tease him in front of his mum because it hurt her feelings. Everything happens for a reason, thought Nibble as he quickened his pace with a long way ahead of him to go, and alot to get done, for him it wasn't really work at all, for him it was like fun, and off he went. However little did Nibble know that he was going to be a little bit late that day. That was for sure. Yes dear reader just a little bit late. That’s not that bad now is it? It’s not that much later you might think, 'Oh' but it is! ... Or is it? You can surely be forgiven for thinking that not very much can happen in between late and a teeny weenie bit late. Why? ... What could possibly take place in this insignificant fraction of time you might surely say. One of course could be forgiven for thinking a little bit late is not that bad. However on Nibble’s lonely isolated island a lot can take place in the balance between a little bit late or right on time. The difference can be life or death, for only the Good Lord can measure the difference of what happens on the scales of time, the difference of a little bit late, or Dead on time. And for young Nibble on this day of days it would be poured out in full measure tipping the delicate scale’s balance, regarding why he would be a little bit late. That shall cast a shadow of drastic change over Nibble, and the islands penguins, redirecting the whole course of his life, plus those of his entire penguin colony on the lonely islands, for the rest of their lives and for generations to come, right up to the rapture of the lamb.

Nibble got to the top of the cliffs, that towered over the charming and breathtakingly beautiful plateau where Nibble’s colony perched snugly in the natural protection of the steep cliffs, safe and sound and perfectly placed high up away from the monstrous waves that slammed into the west coast far below them, the rugged untamed side of the island, with a pounding low roar that seemed to shake the very earth itself. Nibble stopped to rest looking out over this stunning view after his steep ascent up the canyon walls to the top of the cliff where the long track started and then led to the distant shores of the fishing grounds. As he got his breath back he heard faintly over the sound of the powerful surf.... “Make sure to keep one eye on the sky at all times, Son.” He heard his dad call out to him. Nibble knew his dad was referring to the evil skua birds that were deadly dangerous to penguins and anything that moves and values its life, especially creatures smaller than themselves, for they were definitely doomed, as skuas were brutal bully beasts cursed with blood thirst, dirty cold callous creatures, the seas prolific predators, perhaps pirates, if you please. “Ok dad, I sure will.” Nibble shouted back down waving as he felt a sharp shiver of fear for the deadly birds slide down his spine that made his toes tingle and the soles of his feet feel all funny frosty frozen. Nibble on his own had to be extra careful, normally when he went fishing he and his very few friends always went with one of his parents as most of the other penguins didn't want to fish with him because he didn't look normal, many penguins were funny like that. As he walked on his funny feeling feet he thought about the big nasty skuas, a big bad gull that pranced like a predator and plagued the polite pleasant penguins on the otherwise peaceful island at this time of the year. For the penguins, summer was a dangerous and naturally nervous time. He shook off the foreboding feeling of dread. Maybe they won’t come to the island this summer, he thought hopefully as he continued on his long walk to the sheltered bays and inlets of the far off fishing grounds that snuggled neatly in amongst the east coasts curvy cliffs where the mighty ocean swells seldom reached. As the east coast of Nibbles Island was the direct opposite in character to its wild weathered west coast cousin, the east was mostly calm and its glassy waters were always teeming in abundance with fish, though a long long walk away they were always totally worth it. And today Nibble was going as far away as he could go, knowing that the fishing there would be awesome. He loved the thrill of discovering new spots, and exploring them for the first time. He got going in keen anticipation for sights unseen and thrilling adventures awaiting him yet to be delved and deeply dove into. Here in the beautiful white sandy bays, penguins had fished and hunted for generations in the safety of the island’s tranquil side that was great for fishing but no good for camping, as when the big round silver white thing that shone in the night sky was full, the whole area was prone to frightful flooding. 8

As Nibble walked along he was enjoying the warm sun, and he relaxed into his walk, when suddenly the sun’s warm rays were blocked out from high above and its light extinguished, replaced by the menacing shadow of a skua that seemed to have come out of nowhere as it flew over the bright sun’s face momentarily blocking its comforting warm glow, making Nibble feel cold inside. Nibble, frightened in the skua’s frosty shadow, blindly looked up. But in doing so he looked straight into the sun’s sharp light. Now all he could see was white and red blotchy splotches in his eyes as he looked in all directions with his sight significantly compromised. He was like a blind bird!.. It was an old trick that the skua had used and Nibble knew he had made a terrible mistake. As he blinked over and over again, trying to wash away the sun’s spots that trekked across his vision, he was expecting the sting of sharp claws being raked across his back at any moment, by his dreaded enemies attack. At having first blinded him by the sun, the skua was now free to come in for the kill, it would soon swoop in for the aerial assault of wings flapping aggressively in your face as one is clawed to death. ‘Any second now’ Nibble thought, as he tensed up like a feathery knot of fear and adrenaline. As the sun spots receded, slowly allowing his eyes to focus on…………… Oh man!... It was just a small cloud! ... now lazily moving off the sun’s face, just a innocent looking cloud, not a skua at all. Nibble let out his breath. He didn’t notice that he had been holding it the whole time. He walked on trying not to fall over his unsteady frozen feeling feet, as he shook his head in disgust, mad at himself for his silly mistake. Then to Nibbles dismay he saw a group of penguins a few years older than himself coming the other way after an overnight fishing trip, and yes sure enough they had all seen him get a fright from the cloud. HA ha! "watch out for the white cloud white face" said one of them, as the rest burst into laughter. Nibble tried not to hang his head in shame but it was hard as he didn't want to get eye contact with a single one of them, as they all past him giggling in delight. But one tall penguin called Paul near the back of the pack that the others all looked up to, because God had blessed him with charismatic grace and an appealing nature plus swift and good in all he did, said nothing and did not laugh. As he passed Nibble he thought I've got to do something to help that little guy, he smiled at Nibble, but Nibble mistook this as cruelty not seeing the goodness in his eyes as he finally hung his head. Paul pondered, I must wait for just the right moment then maybe just maybe God willing, through my popularity the Lord can bless poor little Nibble through me so that he can be accepted by the others, who aren’t bad penguins they are just a bit set in their silly ways. And so he prayed that God would show him the right time to support Nibble. By now Nibble had rounded a corner and was once again on his own, bummed out

that he'd mistaken a cloud for a skua! Man! Nibble really hated skuas! He thought, as his pulse was still racing from the fright he got from the sneaky clever cloud. If only he was as big as a skua then he'd show those thugs a thing or two, those big bad bullies, those flying feathery freaks, those ... those dirty disgusting devious disease bags of doom, those drongos were such a drag, drat, dude, darn. ‘O well...Whatever dude!’ he thought as his shoulders seriously slumped sadly sideways in defeat as he let go of his anger. He just couldn’t put into words how much he hated them. Oh man did skuas get him so angry that he couldn’t even think straight. One day he said out loud to himself, “ONE DAY! ...” But even as he said these words, he knew that on his own he had no chance against a Skua. He walked on feeling fragile and shaking his head in sad frustration. It wouldn't have been so bad if the other penguins hadn't seen him. ‘If only one day, that was for sure’ he thought sighing heavily with a sad sulky sigh, slightly shaken. What was he sadly saying? Seriously Something? Oh yeah that’s right! He seriously hated big evil skuas! Oh how he hated them so. They made his feathers feel all wrong and itchy. They made his salty skin slink slightly, seriously sir. But not in a good way sir, not in a good way at all sir, no sir not at ALL! ... It wasn’t cool, it was cruel. The cloud had made him feel a fool! ... Nibble walked on past a cool pool.....

CHAPTER TWO Reader Beware

STOP!...SKUA WARNNING!.. while we still have time to talk, as Nibble makes his long long way over to the other side of the island, I the teller of this tale really should warn you, at this early stage of the story, it being a little bit gory, and not being too late for you to turn back. That one in good conscience must alert those of you who luckily don’t know how cruel and vicious these skua birds truly are, and wish to stay so.... not knowing! Skuas are very cruel characters, seriously sick sinful suckers of the sky, merciless and deadly. I, being of timid blood too, can’t let you read on without a cautionary caution of what you shall read in this next portion. For if you can’t handle big nasty blackish brute birds of death, should you scare easily then quick! Turn back! Go find a nice book to read. Because this certainly is not that kind of a book! … Oh no dear reader, this book tells a tale of birds who love to kill, just for the thrill of the kill, it will chill you till you are dead still. I’m afraid Skuas are all through this surely gory story of woeful wild woe. 11

If you have a weak heart, then turn back now don't even start! The info ahead in your paged passage path is prolifically plighted with them pal, some say they may come from hell! ... For were you to find your self flat on your back, at having had a heart attack, by wading your way through the worrying words of woe, at having been exposed to the horrors of these horrific, hateful heathen skuas, that lie in ambush ahead as I have said in the papery pages of this innocent appearing book!.. Then please pardon me precious reader, at all costs, retreat! Save yourselves! The hidden heathens are hiding in the next few pages somewhere! silently waiting for you to make that one fatal mistake, with pitiless hearts that never suffer heartache, so ferociously filled and awash with hateful hate. I’m not being fake mate I’m telling you straight, from you your life they shall so surely take! ... Run from them before it's too late! Off with you I surely shout! ... Go find your selves a random and really rather round roundabout, and then run round it without a doubt. I'm sure you must confess, that you have surely been blessed, not to have run into, and therefore not encountered one of the fallen world’s worst cruel creatures... a soaked in sin, sad world where sins sickness holds sway, a world where these ravenous, merciless, murdering marauders rule the sky. Fearless of all including you and I. Goodbye to you I surely say, and may Good God bless you on this day, as you hop off on your merry way, I hope you enjoyed your short stay, I at this stage should so surely say, or shall say and have said...ok The bye byes have been said I cry, tootaloo to you, bye bye. Ah however now, courageous readers that dare to read on with me, I was getting a bit scared to go on alone, but for those of you who are brave enough with gnarly nerves of iron, staunch stomachs of steel and considerable constitutions of courage and quietly courageous even after my caring caution, my written warning if you will, then onwards we must surely tread... Be my guest, advance, but remember what I said, don’t be afraid, read on if you dare, off you go, go on I don’t care. Now brave brave reader, I tell you this, that the next bit of literature is about the evil despicable skuas themselves. So if you might, here we go, do hold on tight, but remember you may get a dreadful fright!.... But for the brave of you, maybe...a daring delight! Now as I was saying my righteous ready rare readers, these evil beastly birds will stop at nothing to gobble as they squabble that which they desire most, and unfortunately for Nibble and his kind, I think you'll find, it is to eat and devour poor little defenceless baby penguins! horrible I know, but onwards the gory story of woe shall so surely go.... Oh no brave reader, there is nothing skuas love more than to score a tasty slither of bouncy baby penguin flesh, that they devour and digest. Oh its despicable! ... one 12

surely should protest!... The horrible horror birds will pick on the weak for weeks, with their ripping razor sharp blood splattered beaks, I tell you, these bad bad birds are blood thirsty freaks! And furthermore it is terrible to know, the awful truth below, reader, read faster, and don’t read slow! The monstrous skuas, like nothing more, than to throw back their ugly heads, their mouths wide open, full of red dread, with bits of the dead, that’s right, that’s what I said!. With the scabby skuas throats over extended swollen and grossly distended, on mum and dad the baby penguins had once depended, but now victims, that so cannot be mended!.. They can't get enough of the stuff. They even eat the fluff... 'Oh' that’s wrong and really rather rough. So rare reader just hang tough, keep really reading, as the big bad bully birds just keep unfairly feeding, don't stop if it's a rest you’re so nearly needing, just keep really reading the words that I am so surely sowing, that’s right just keep going.... With blood running down their unholy necks, that are covered in lots of blood splatty specks. Don’t tell anyone, don’t even txt!. The skuas catch the slow ones, and of their blood they've been bled, the others having all fled, but for the slow, they’re all dead! ... They crunch ‘n’ munch a bunch for lunch, their mouths overflowing with, prized pieces of baby penguin parts, playing like pompous pigs with their pitiful penguin prize, that they have passionately pillaged perhaps, playing poorly with gurgling ghoulish gawks, and squawks, laughing like hawks, their faces stuffed full of dead baby penguin pork!. The big evil bully birds, belch bubbly bubble burps, that smell like fishy rubbish tips, or rotten fishy fish 'n' chips! with blow offs ferociously firing from their dirty dag incrusted bits!. I’m afraid it can't be denied, that their fumes smell like fried cyanide! ... This is something they don't even try to hide!., blowing off with such and much pungent pride!... Why? .. Reader, you can’t deny the disgusted look of distaste upon your pale face. Oh come now good reader, slightly sick reader. I did warn you after all! Per chance you’re not as brave as you recall, then I must give you my humblest and sad sincerest apology, I am truly sorry... As now you no doubt know the heart-breaking horrid truth below. I surely hope that you are still alive? ... How’s the heart?... Did you survive? However, on the off chance that you are now dead from a no longer beating heart problem, then alas.... Please please forgive me, dear reader! Rest in Peace, or pieces if you please. But oh well too late now, so on the terrible tale of wild woe must surely go!.. Now where were we when? Oh yes! Big evil blackish skua Gulls, are indeed evil, and if you are still with us, you now know and can testify to, of how bad skua's 13

really are, at having survived the tale of woe so far. You must now carry the same burden of skua knowledge as I do. Do be careful with such infamous info, it’s quite the responsibility you know. Maybe just tell the people you don’t like, or better still, no one at all... Why take the risk?... Least one become a killer or worse still, a skua! A bird of the sewer! Sorry...SO sorry, I do go on a bit, do I not? And now young Nibble’s out there all by himself and has left us all far far behind, come on let’s catch up with him shall we. But be careful for somewhere out there the enemy has crept, so wisely watch your step! Don’t trip, there’s still a long long ways to go. So do be careful now and do go slow.

CHAPTER THREE A Fish Mish interrupted

Now as I was saying, Nibble, after me waffling on for so long, has by now arrived way ahead of us at his favourite fishing spot. And furthermore still, is about to dive in, but before he does, something in the back of his mind warns him to stop, with an uneasy feeling, there was something bothering him. Oh man! What was it? ... He thought. What could it be? Had he forgotten to do something important? What was it dude? He wondered to himself, oh yes! That’s it! Of course! ... Now he remembered, suddenly with a rush and flush of excitement, for in his mind’s eye he could see his dad saying, teaching him when he was but a baby, ... 14

“Son always pray to God, Lord Almighty to bless your plans and your mish, whatever that may be. He will make sure you are successful, whether the plans for your path be big or small, for God will bless your quests request. He will be with you every step of the way, together forever tomorrow and today so don't forget to pray. God cares so He answers our prayers" So Nibble stopped to pray and bowing his little penguin head and closing his bright blue penguin eyes. He prayed with all his tiny little penguin heart, “Heavenly Father God, please, bless me with your company, keep me safe, in all that I do today and thank you very much for fishing as I don’t know if you know this but, I really love fishing and i.. i….I really really really love fishing!... May I catch lots of fish for my family today please, I pray this prayer in your Son Jesus’ name. Amen!” Ah that was better Nibble thought, he always felt fresher, you know under less pressure. Now that God had his measure. Which good reader, Amen means. – in the power of God’s grace may my sincere prayer, bring God near, making my plans fair and come to bear! In other words, in God’s loving grace, So be it and So shall it be, for you and for me. That’s what amen means man! May no plan of man, change God’s plan for man! Whether you are white or have a tan! Whether you are black or yellow, pray to God, there’s a good fellow. Snuggle your prayer eggs, snugly in Gods prayer nest, so they may hatch a blessed request, with Good God taking care of the rest. Now Nibble upon opening his eyes again saw with a fright, that the shape of his shadow, didn’t look quite right! It was deformed and crossly out of shape! It looked as though something had climbed up on his back, while he was praying. It just sat there, without a care! He could feel it now too, and as he turned it grew! A big black thing crawling up his back! “ARRRAA.” He cried out, as he swung around to see what it was, with a startled snort, as his breath caught, but indeed his shadow had not lied, for right there on his back, lay something big and black, not trying to hide,.. "Oh, my back pack" Out loud, Nibble, cried!

Wow! He then realized that he was about to dive into the sea, with a splick and a splish to fish, with his bag still on his back...on his fish mish! ... If he hadn’t stopped to pray first, he would not have seen his bag’s shadow on his back. Thereby not warning him of the silly excited mistake he was about to make. Diving in with his bag would have been no fun. All his stuff for the day would have been soaked dude, he realized with a shock and a sense of awe for the most high. God was looking after him and had Nibble’s best interests at heart all along, even before he had stopped to pray, his bag spotting prayer. Nibble loved God’s attention to detail, to God even the little things mattered. “Thank you Father God!” he said out loud putting his bag down in a safe shady spot. So now he was ready and good to go. He nimbly hopped over the rocks with a hippity hop, to the aqua water, laced with the crystal clear colours from the white sandy bottom below, where the golden kelp danced a flowing endless ballet around the boulders to the waves sway of the sandy sunny bay. Nibble sprang off the dancing kelp rocks as he finely dove into the sea, throwing a flip and a spin in for good measure just because he could, plus it felt awesome! Entering his aqua playground with a perfect splashless dive that left the surface, with a rippling ring, sucking down the air into the depths, as a white trail of fizzing popping bubbles twinkling in the sunlight, that gracefully rose in a swift arcing column behind him. The buoyant bubbles whilst holding their breath raced and chased each other twinkling in the sunlight back up to the surface, braking free from the sea’s grip popping back up into the freedom of thin air, as they disappeared with a POP!... Nibble dove deeply down, down, down into the deep, deep depths. Nibble was finally on the hunt. As the last few bubbles rose behind Nibble’s dive he glided through his watery domain with swift wisps of his flippery wings at great speed. There were fish everywhere, like fast silver bullets sleek and darting in all directions, but none were safe from Nibble. For Nibble was in hunting mode and for many a fish it was the end of the road!

Later that morning, after a great fish mish, which had been outstanding and awesomely successful, Nibble was sorting out his catch. He was pleased at having a record amount of dazzling coloured juicy fish. He stood back to count up the impressive pile, But as he started to count the catch, he suddenly stopped! He had heard what sounded like very faint screaming sounds, like whispers on the wind coming from the direction of his home. No it couldn’t be his colony he thought, that was way too far away on the other side of the island. Or could it be?... Turning around in that direction where the sound seemed to have come from, he slowly looked over his shoulder with wrinkles of concern, tight on his young brow. Nibbles keen eyes quickly focused in on the far off starting point of the path's beginning that spilled out onto the beach, before it then sped off inland and led back to his home, to his family's colony. His ears straining as his eyes followed the faint path’s line that was pressed into the hard rocky ground winding its way over the island’s bumpy contours before it zigzagged up the steep rise of the cliffs, then down past crab cove, across the fossil sand dunes and up again through a gorge before it plunged deeply into the cool dark interior of the densely forested valley. Still onwards it raced as the path skipped across chattering clear running rivers that cut deeply into the dark green valleys, with thin belts of ghostly mists that seemed to cling to the treetops dulling down the river’s chatter, calming its sound to a quiet whisper,` cool cold crystal clear running river water, winding and twisting its way crazily through the unexplored canyons, into the untamed wild land of the lost and windswept volcanic island, the water criss-crossing the path that then left the river far behind as it sped up to the north coast round the cape then finally ending at Nibble’s home, that lay so far off on the other side of the island. Nibble stood like a frozen stone statue, only his eyes moved as they scanned the horizon, his ears keen to perceive the unmistakeable sound of danger. He looked on and listened for a very long time, all seemed to stand still, but the tide wasn't tricked, as it secretly snuck up the beach behind him, silently eating sand as it went. Aaah… he sighed, it was probably just his over alert imagination, as he and all penguins were very much on edge with the threat of the skuas at this time of year, Nibble thought. Maybe he had just heard a landslide or avalanche from one of the three live volcanoes on the south coast which had been asleep for a lengthy volcanic rest but from time to time would once again wake up as they sprang unpredictably back into life, loudly venting out the earths violent volcanic pressure. Or maybe a freak wave’s sound bouncing and then echoing oddly through the distant canyons somehow making its way right over the island back to where Nibble now stood. It did sound like a scream though, he thought, oh well, it must just be my imagination playing tricks on me as he began to turn slowly back to his catch of fish again. 18

He got back to work while the sea ate up the sand, slowly the beach got smaller and smaller behind him. Just as he began to relax content in his work, suddenly his breath caught with dread in his restricting neck, straining with a large lump lodged in his throat. He could not swallow, his shoulder blades tightened across his back for this time there could be no doubt! .... It was the sound of danger! He definitely heard a far off penguin’s scream! Swinging back around he gasped out loud painfully, as he caught a glimpse of something that sent shivers of ice cold claws down his whole body making his tail flare up and stand stiffly on end, for he had just seen the unmistakable shape in the sky of a pack of skuas in battle formation, circling high over the cliff tops, way off towards the western side of the island. He watched in horror as the big ominous pack of skuas screeched out excitedly as they in perfect flight formation dove out of sight and headed straight in the direction of his home! Nibble didn’t even hesitate, he dropped what he was doing, and took off at speed with fish and seaweed flying everywhere in all directions in a mad dash as he made for the starting point of the path that would lead him to his home, to his family, and ultimately to his awaiting destiny. As he sprinted up the beach he didn’t even look back, for if he had he would have seen that he in his haste had made a terrible mistake, Getting smaller and smaller behind him lay his bag with all his stuff for the day, but most importantly tucked in a side pocket both his trusty shoes. If he had just but looked back he could have picked up his shoes and have so easily put them on, which would have only taken a few seconds, then Nibble would not have been so grossly unprepared. Big mistake Nibble! Big mistake buddy! You know what they say: haste makes waste, well I heard someone very wise once say that. But I also know that if it is good advice then it ultimately comes from God! ... for he is the windmill of free wisdom, grinding out the goodness, which leads to one’s freedom, and a place in His Kingdom. Now as Nibble tore up the steep gravely path, the sharp jagged rocks underfoot started to take their toll. Nibble could not remember this fresh patch of razor sharp shards that looked a different colour to the rest on the path as though they had only just been scattered there in harms way. Harmful for Nibble that was for sure, they tore up the soft and fleshy soles of his unprotected and vulnerable feet. He began to run slower and slower... He soon realized, without his shoes, his long trek back was going to be very tough indeed, he might not even be able to make it back at all! The sharp stones were just too painful to run on without shoes! ... "OH MAN!" “I must help mum and dad protect the twins, I must, I must, I MUST!” he said, with each unsteady step he took… When you see skuas in battle formation like that, you know its all on, its all out WAR! ... 19

“I have to get back!” he cried out loud, beginning to sob in pain as his feet began to give way, sweat running down his tortured face, by now a contorted mask of agony. He bitterly gritted his teeth and bravely ran on... “Just keep putting one foot in front of the other” he wheezed as his breath rasped through his clenched in pain teeth. But alas without his shoes, eventually he hit rock bottom and came to the inevitable grinding halt. He simply could not go another painful heart wrenching step. The brutally sharp stones of the path had won, as it was never in doubt. He found himself slumped in a pitiful heap on the edge of the cold uncaring path awash with razor sharp stones, longingly looking, in anguish ahead hopelessly unable to continue. With a whimper of pain, he knew he had made a serious mistake, by leaving his shoes in his bag which was now left far far behind. He could not go forward and he could not go back, he was stuck. How was he going to help his mum and dad now? ... he sobbed. All he could do was just sit there gingerly holding his feet with his shaking flippers in terrible pain. Hot beads of sweat dripped down from his forehead onto his burning feet that were wrecked beyond repair. As time passed he stared blankly at the way back home, with unseeing eyes wondering what on earth was he going to do now!.

CHAPTER FOUR Gracious Mercy

But at this time unknown to Nibble, God was looking down from his glorious Kingdom, upon Nibble with God’s great perfect love pouring out for poor young beaten Nibble. As God looked into Nibble’s heart he liked what he saw there, as Nibble’s heart was a rare and precious one. It was full of honesty, truth, love and faith plus a deep connection and care for others. God was pleased and so took pity on poor Nibble in

his moment of brokenness and extreme need. God then reached out to Nibble and with great mercy lovingly blessed him by sending down an Angel disguised as a whiter than white, way white dove. God said to the angel dove that he had chosen for Nibble’s blessing, “I’m going to make this good hearted penguin a servant of mine. Through him I may perform mighty miracles. So dove, fly down to him and ask him this question.” which God whispered into the angel’s ear. “Yes lord.” Said the angel.... “It shall be done, as you have said.” Then the angel took off with swiftly beating wings to carry out God’s will, as behind him, all the angels round God's throne burst into splendid song of the gracious mercy of the Lord, perpetually amazed time and again for eternity, full of wonder at God's righteousness and love. The dove then swept quickly down from heaven to Nibble’s side.

Upon landing, the angel, at having never been a dove before did his very best attempt at a plausible pigeon coo, because he was an angel, not a dove, though now disguised as one, he had to stay in character....And so he said... “Ah ca cooo”, he ca cooed, thinking not bad to himself, with his convincing in caricature coo. A true pigeon ca coo, if ever he had heard one...

He then said “Hello young Nibble, and may God bless yooou a ca cooo.” Poor Nibble sadly nodded and politely returned the greeting. At having done so, he continued to tend his tattered toes and fidgeting with his frightfully fragile feet. He was too embarrassed to look up at his guest. He didn’t want anyone to see the tears in his eyes so he just stared intentionally at his feet’s raw raggedly ripped soles. “May I ask you a quick question, young one?” enquired the angel softly. There was something in the dove’s voice that made Nibble look up. “Woooow!” exclaimed Nibble! “You are so white, Mr. Dove such a pure white, such as I’ve never seen!” Nibble was amazed at how incredibly white the dove was. He had no idea the dove was actually an angel from heaven. Nibble said “Sure I’d be honoured to answer your question.” So the angel repeated the whispered question that God had composed for him perfectly word for word. “Nibble, what is the most important truth of all truths?” Nibble sat back deep in thought, forgetting his poor feet as he politely pondered this marvellous, mind melting magnificently mega melon melter of a question, over in his sharp and wise little penguin brain. He thought long and hard, then he thought hard and long and then back again before he gave his best answer. “Good dove”, he started... “My answer is as follows, it’s the truth that God, the one true living God and his son Jesus loves us all unconditionally no matter what or who we are. God’s love brings peace and joy, for God is the author of hope. God’s word is alive just as God is alive. All those who believe in God’s son Jesus shall have life everlasting and that’s the truth! God has always been and so shall his righteous truth always be, through God’s son sins war is won, and furthermore from that good news of Jesus comes a great peace.” The angel dove was not expecting such a wonderfully wise answer, and wasn't ready when unexpectedly his dove head shot backwards crazily, just like a dove’s head would, then launched forward just as fast and then back again, like he was trying to learn to surf blindfolded whilst sitting backwards tied to the back of a charging rhino!... The angel had forgotten that he was a dove and was not ready for the pigeon’s plunging head-bob, as Nibble got bigger and smaller, in the angel’s sight, with the angel dove’s head shooting backwards and forwards. He couldn’t help but love it, this is fun he thought to himself. “CAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRR... COOOOOOOOOOO..... WEEEEEEEEEEEE!” cacooed, the splendid dove angel cacooingly cacooing quite crazily. Then crying “Coowee, kid! .. That’s a great answer man. Very very wise

stuff young penguin! Well done! Well done indeed! You are a delight and a polite prince of penguins, a king of your kind!” But Nibble just sadly looked down at his tattered toes, then looked back up at the white white dove who had only just got his head back under control as Nibble with sorrow said... “Oh no, I’m no kind of king, splendid dove. I’m this sharp and rocky path’s punctured prisoner. Look at my poor pitiful feet pal. I have a long way back home still to go, to help my mum and dad, but I can’t go another step. I’m no kind of king, I’m more like a crying crippled kook.” And so then, with sympathy in his heart for Nibble, the holy dove then carried out the second half of his mission, that God had so lovingly whispered into his ear to do for Nibble. He happily looked deep into Nibble’s eyes and said “Well young one, you have the makings of a great leader. Possibly even a king some day. Therefore in return, at having given me such a wise and insightful answer you are to be awarded these heavenly shoes of awesomeness.” Said the angel dove with excitement shining in his eyes and losing control of his head for the second time, in awe of the good news shoes, whilst thrusting the awesome shoes of awesomeness, into Nibble’s face, as his head launched backwards and the shoes got thrust forward. This time it was Nibble’s turn to throw his head back, with the shoes stuffed right up under his beak, pressing hard into his nostrils. Nibble could not help but see that they had something in big bright white letters written on them. He tried to focus on the shoes words, as they were pressed right up into his eyeballs ... he said, talking around the shoes...“Wow, they certainly do look awesome brother dove!” The angel then with even more excitement, snapped hard out into salesman mode and just went to town with it! Blabbering stuff about them at a high speed and an even higher pitched voice, till the words were just whizzing past Nibble’s head like blabbering bullets bouncing backwards and forwards like his bobbing bouncing head!.. “Yes yes", continued the angel ,.. "these mega good news shoes of awesomeness have the word of God’s good news emblazed on both sides, plus on top, and you guessed it, the bottom too! The sole of the shoes, if you will Sir”..... “But wait! That’s not all! These epic divine foot devices also sport the word of God’s good news on the laces too, and yes sir, these babies do themselves up. Just slip them on here here here, here here and here, and away you go”.... “Oh I haven’t finished yet”. He went on and on and on.... “OH, I’m just getting warmed up. There’s still yet more these wonders of God can do. We see here that they are padded for your complete comfort with the latest squishy foot technology, extra squishy, extra silky, extra comfy. They’re a silky squishy delicate delight, dude! ... With the peaceful word of God’s good news also here, here and here.” said the dove angel at the speed of light, whilst pointing even quicker in a whiter 23

than white blur with his feathery fingertips, that were whizzing round Nibbles hazy head and the shoes in a frantic feathery frenzy. As he still blabbered on.... passionately pointing.... “If we squint our eyes", he continued.. "and look even closer just here too!” he said with a fancy fantastic flourish of feathers fastly. Nibble was wondering when was the dove ever going to take a breath, but he just kept going.... Yes, the word of God’s good news is all over them. They hold and bind the very shoes together man, or penguin I should say. Sorry I can’t help myself, it’s all good bro. Feel the flow bro, in these you can go toe to toe with any frightful foe, this is something all need know. Now Nib, Can I call you Nib?” “Sure I like it!” said Nibble. “Ok, that’s cool Nib, ta!” carried on the angel as he started to cool down a bit whilst handing the blessed shoes of God’s good news over to Nibble.” “Now, Nib these awesome shoes of God's good news are super light but also super incredibly indestructible, they will never never never and never wear out and they will never never never NEVER let you down!” said the angel dove starting to speed up again, but suddenly stopping to finally finish and take a deep breath. Nib or Nibble if you prefer, was super happy and super delighted with the beautiful gift, of peace from God’s word that comes from the good news blazed all over and on and through in and out of them, he most thankfully received them, full of reverence for the Lord. He was amazed at how truly light they were, turning them over in his flippers this way and that admiring them with shaky movements. As he did so the words that were written on the shoes, saying... THE PEACE OF GOD’S GOOD NEWS, JESUS HAS WON!!! caught the sunlight and shot bright shafts of dazzling light in all directions. Nibble said in a quiet shaky voice “These are holy aren’t they?” as he looked up at the splendid dove from heaven with his eyes sparkling like the shoes. “Oh yeah” whispered the holy dove as Nibble slipped each one onto his poor battered and broken feet. Instantly, faster than you can say socks, his feet were healed, restored, mint!.. Nibble was very happy to have been blessed so. Now his feet would always be strong. It’s safe to say he was very VERY happy, I dear say he was over the moon, now he could be home soon!.. With Nibble’s new shoes he just couldn’t lose. He then gratefully gave thanks to God and also thanked the good dove who had flown down from above. “May God bless you as he has blessed me today, sir dove.” he said excitedly squirming impatiently, all of a sudden to try the shoes out and be on his way. The angel knowing this, said “You had best be off now young Nib, for time stands still for no penguin and no hands are a match for the hands of time. Even if you’re

really really good at arm wrestling. No one can stop the arms of God’s clock, it will just keep going and going, Tick tock, tick tock. So waving farewell, Nibble took off up the path with surefootedness of a gazelle pal, but his feet no longer hurt. With every step he took, his confidence grew in each shoe one and two of the wonderful holy shoes that comes from the good news. He was going to make it after all, just when he thought all was lost, God had found him and had blessed him, thereby saving him. Nibble ran on with long strides, trust and faith growing with every pace. Pace after pace in Good God's grace he happily paced. Feeling fantastically freeee, drawing him closer and closer to his home, to his destiny. The angel disguised as a dove, waving watched Nibble fly up the path with the sharp stones that had once brought Nibble to his knees in defeat, now being kicked and sprayed off the track in all directions harmlessly into the dust as Nibble ran on strongly. He was a new penguin. There was no stopping him now. “I have done as you have said.” Cooed the angelic dove looking up to the Lord. Then God called his angel back up to heaven. The angel then suddenly disappeared faster than an eye can blink, he was gone. Nibble sprinted on in his gift from God thinking, in these awesome shoes I will be back home in no time. But in God’s sight he still had a long long way to go.....

CHAPTER FIVE The Bearer of Bravery

As Nibble ran and ran as fast as he could to the top of a ridge, he passed beautiful barky, but bent trees that the wind had sculpted into wonderful weird works of art and funny fantastic forms. He ducked under barky bent branches, jumped and zig zagged a zig zaggy line through their fine fanciful forms fastly, then he started down the ridge that lead into a beautiful valley with rivers big and small, crisscrossing the valley’s floor, this way and that as they twisted and turned, like the

twisty trees as the water wound it's wet watery way to the ocean so true, an ocean so very deep blue. At the bottom of the valley Nibble found himself running along beside a charming chatty little stream that chattered over the river rocks, as it flowed and bubbled, blabbering bubbles around its bountiful boulders, as it ran with Nibble turning this way and that, as Nibble ran that way and this, through the valley of the big beautiful but bent barky trees. Nibble had no time to stop and admire them, as he ran on and on..... Now further along the track, Nibble came across another angel, sent by God. This time disguised as a crab with mighty powerful crab claws that were so strongly and solidly shelled. Now, as we all know crabs are covered in armour, which is very very strong indeed. The armour perfectly protects the crab from head to crabby clawy toe. However, this was no ordinary armour and no ordinary crab for each strong interlocking piece had words of holy fire burnt into every link and panel of the armour. Each word burned with holy intensity. This armour could not be pierced with any evil arrows or weapons of the enemy. Not even the sharpest hardest gnarliest beak of a skua gull could puncture, pierce, peck or even scratch the super suit of seriously strong armour. For it was the armour of God’s righteousness! ... that the disguised angel crab wore, near the Shelly sea shore fully armoured legs, body and claw. When Nibble even in his running righteous rush sees the awesomely armoured crab he slides to a hasty halt in his awesome shoes, spraying path pebbles in a stony shower, pleasantly plunging path pebbles into a pebbly pool of the quiet crystal clear, running river. As the last of the path pebbles finally fall they make a sound like a small waterfall, gladly giggling as they sink to the bottom one and all, as Nibble came to a path pebble spraying stall. Nibble breathlessly says... “Hello Mr Crab what, if I may ask, do these beautiful bright words of intensely glowing fire mean on your amazing looking armour?” The angel replied... “well hello young one, that’s a good question, and I shall tell you now pal, each word states that God’s righteousness is the armour that protects me, and furthermore God’s righteousness is the strongest and mightiest armour of them all, for I stand before you as a Christian crustacean.” said the crab stretching his colossal claws widely to make his impressive point passionately, before he continued. “Just read the Bible and Paul once known as Saul shall tell all. So stand tall for those of you who have ears for God’s call,” said the crab in a bubbly drawl. “Least one takes a nasty fall, being unable to get around sin’s wall. Don’t even hesitate, don’t even stall and I might add, if I may, which I will, that it is the righteousness of God that makes this snug armour so strong, because nothing is stronger than the righteousness of God. Amen man!”.. finished the crab with bubbles bubbling out of his mouth as he spoke. That embarrassed the angel at first, as he had not been expecting that to happen, at having never been a crab before. But oh well he thought, that is what crabs do do, as he stopped to pop the last 26

funny few that were just south of his mouth, with his impressive claws trying to regain his crumbling crabby crab cool. Nibble stared back blankly right though the crab into space wondering if a penguin could get armour like that too. 'Oh wow'.. if only he knew how! But the angel knew exactly what Nibble was thinking, and so he said, “Would you like armour like mine?... So strong so fine.... One might say it’s divine, soon it can be yours, that which is mine". Nibbles eyes flew wide open giving away his heart’s desire. Nibble could not speak so he just nodded his head emphatically in a naturally nervous nod full of enthusiasm, with his beak a blur. “Very well then, so be it!.. If you can answer this question correctly God will grant you, your heart’s desire to receive armour like mine. Nibble could still not speak, so he just nodded even harder until it looked as through his head might fall off... The angel said smiling “Which of the two is the strongest?.. The righteousness of God?.. Or armour? Nibble stared back blankly at the crab for a long time, then with inspirations surprise, something flashed in his eyes, right on time it lit up in his mind, with no strain as the answer sparkled in his brilliantly blessed bird brain. “Oh that’s easy I’ve got it!” he said with joy. “It’s as you have said, good crab. It’s God’s righteousness that is the armour’s strength!.. for without God’s righteousness the armour, with time would simply crack and crumble and turn to dust, blowing away in the next strong wind’s thrust, if made of metal it would just rust. But there is no wind strong enough, to blow away the righteousness of God. Gods righteousness is righteous stuff, because it’s God’s righteousness that IS the armour. An armour that will last forever. So the correct answer is: Without God’s righteousness there is no true armour!. The angel was so impressed and pleased with Nibble’s wise answer. That it now was, the angel’s turn to stare back blankly, but only for a shocked second, as he had not expected an answer so wise from one so young. Then the angel shaking his head and getting back on track as he threw both of his impressive powerful claws high into the air snapping them powerfully, as he was powerfully pleased and filled with joy’s joyous joy... “Yes yes!” he cried out loud then laughing louder like liking his clickity clicks as he click clickingly clicked his colossal claws crazily... With a click clat a clickerty clicka rooo!.. “Why, what a wise and wonderful young penguin you truly are. So full of God’s wonderful wise wisdom and furthermore, because your answer is so pleasing and so true, I am able to reward you with something pleasing and true too. So God, through me, shall give to you, your very own holy armour of God’s righteousness, for God has commanded me to present this mighty powerful protective prize, freely to all who love God. For God loves to give generously good gifts to lift

those that he loves and to whom, in return, love him. Round and round it goes, it’s a love thing, you’ve got to love it! It’s AaaLLLLLLLLL good, yeah! Nibble was filled with excitement and at the same time filled with humble praise for God. It was a fantastically funny freaky feeling folks, for what the crab had just said was too good to be true, though true it be, for all of you, and for all of me!... Nibble could not believe his feathery waterproof ears. Then he and the crab, clapped claws, and flapped flippers, trying to high five each others Crabby claws and flippery flippers but missing madly in a uncoordinated crabby clawry flippery flappy mess. Claws and flippers both way wildly wiseling wide as they swung harder and harder, as hard as they could, but both laughing as they stood swinging swipes time and time again, crab claws and penguin flippers, flying past each other’s uncoordinated high five attempts, not even close to connecting, careering clumsily close, but both madly missing mightily by miles, cracking up and stumbling laughing and bumbling... Finally they stopped, stood, took aim and lined up, one real good one, passionately positioning still laughing and bodies shaking,.. then with determination in both participants eyes flaring,.. They zeroed in on that sweet spot, of high five perfection in the air just above their happy heads... Here we go.... SWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAACK! Bulls eye! Direct hit!.. The sweet sound, of the perfect high five connection, travelled up the peaceful river valley, which startled a dozen swift silver eye birds with bright firey feathers, that took off in fright to flight, travelling with the sound of the sweet high fives echo, racing deeply into the wonderful woods leaving Nibble and the angel crab far behind rubbing their claws and flippers that now tingled painfully. But both thinking totally worth it man, OH Yeah... TOTALLY! As Nibble rubbed his tingling flipper he looked down to see, that he to was now covered across his whole body in God’s holy armour. Wow!.. He thought. Then looking up at his happy crabby friend that wasn’t crabby at all, He said... “That was one good and proper high five BRO!.. Just like that, I’m just like you!.. I feel invincible, at peace, safe and sound in God’s righteousness. "PRAISE JESUS! GLORY TO GOD!” he finished with a victorious shout, with the crab joining in too. They both liked laughing and stood staring... However Nibble knew he had to be on his way now. He was sad that he had to leave his new found friend, and so, he said... “I have to be going now, crabby. Will I ever see you again?” The angel disguised as a crab, replied... “Only God knows the answer to that question, my finely feathered friend, but I have a funny feeling we will, in the distant future, you may not recognize me though, but I will recognize you. Now go help your mum and dad Nibble. You still have a long long ways to go, farewell God bless and may God be with you always." 28

Nibble waved with his funny feeling flipper, that was still tingling as he farewelled his new found friend, and got on his way with an even greater sense of determination as he struck out for the far side of the quiet forested river valley, moving with ease in his fine fitting free feeling flash armour. Alongside him, the swift silver eyes with fire feathers fleetingly flew, gliding with grace and skill through the fine forests ferns, through Nikau palms that gracefully grew all along the gladly giggling gurgling river that ran with Nibble through the valley’s trees, winding its watery way to the valley’s far side with a fast paced slipperty slide where the pretty fiery feathered silver eyes reside.

But all the curious commotions motion, had caught a cruel evil eyes attention, of one I’ve forgotten to mention, from a super evil spiritual dimension! The evil eyes had seen Nibble and little did Nibble know, his evil foe was a pro at laying low, waiting whilst watching was the evil & co, with an eviler than evil glow with dark black eyes colder than snow. Casting it's ghastly gaze with glaring wicked ruthless raze upon poor young Nibble today, on this dangerous day of days, do you see what I say, OH NO!...OK!. And so, as the evil ones watched, it saw goodness there! and Drat! it hated that!.. That goodness there!.... So to be fair, do have a care dear reader beware! But Nibble not knowing, ran on and on until....

CHAPTER SIX A Question of Faith

Further along still and once again Nibble came across another one of God’s angels, this time disguised as a turtle. Nibble in his hasty haste and speedy shoes of God’s peace, the shoes of Gods good news and Gods light righteous armour, he was running so fast he nearly tripped, right over the turtle when he rounded a sharp bend, as the path followed the really rather random running river, but nimble Nibble nimbly sprang and dived, right over him with speedy righteous skill. If the turtle had been elsewhere, Nibble would have certainly ran right past him. As Nibble flew through the air over the top of the turtle, in the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of the beautiful shield, on top of the turtle’s back with the word ‘faith’ in fiery letters written right round the whole shell and over it and in it and on it and across it, like all through it! Had Nibble not seen this he would’ve run on oblivious to the turtle’s existence, but now curious he tucked and rolled to a stylish standing stop. Nibble was mesmerised as he gazed at the shield’s shifting beauty, as its light danced across his face, shimmering in his eyes and shining fiery white light freely from the shields polished fiery facets. Nibble forgot himself as time stood still, he too stood still staring fascinated. No matter which angle he looked at the brilliant shield shell, the fiery letters spelt ‘FAITH’ boldly and always around the right way up. If he turned his head, swapping his angle, the letters turned with him swapping their angle too. Back and forth and also in 3D!.. the turtles shield shell had hidden depths, so deep that Nibble felt funny in his fluffy feathery tummy and felt as though he might fall into the shell and fall forever. The word faith fell deeply into the shield’s bottomless bright abyss. If the shield moved, the letters moved always writing themselves in the twinkling of an eye, this way and that, always up the right way. The fascinating fiery word always read ‘FAITH’. The more he looked at the shield shell of faith the more brightly the word faith burned and the more brighter they burned, the harder he looked. Nibble was fully mesmerised. So much so, that he had forgotten to say hello, so the patient polite polished turtle politely pointed asking...

“Why do you stare so intently at this shield on my back?”...this returned Nibble suddenly back to the present. Startled, Nibble replied... “Oh, hello there good turtle of the fiery shield shell. I stare so hard, because no matter what way I look, its brilliance never diminishes. The letters move with me smoothly constantly correcting themselves, so they always read the word faith. Look for yourself!” said Nibble as he pointed with wonder. So the patient turtle politely replied... “You can only see faith if you have faith....and because of your faith, in God you can see!.. And see clearly".... Nibble was now mesmerized by what the turtle had just said, and he listened carefully as the turtle continued... ..."Those who don’t have faith sadly are blind to faith and are unable to see or even feel it. It is with great sadness that I tell you, that most who look upon this shell on my back only see a blank and dull shell for it is their very lack of faith, that greatly weakens their hearts and dulls their minds, stifling their senses and binding them up in chains of blind ignorance. For without faith all is lost, for the faithless are spiritually blinded and without faith's sight, will surely fall and stumble into traps that the devil sets before them. These poor souls will never get to see how truly beautiful faith truly is. Some sadly don’t even look! They stumble around as though they are blindfolded in the oblivion of the sin prison a pitch black room without any escape, trapped by their own stubbornness!... To escape, all they have to do is seek God who is the light of the world. He will open their eyes, freeing them from their dark chamber that they reside in, filling them with his beautiful light of faith. They then will see God for the first time, who will gracefully free them!... God is true and his truth shall set you free. Seek faith and you shall surely find it... for those who seek shall find. "Now Nibble”... continued the turtle as he looked into Nibble’s heart... “I see that, within you, your faith fire burns brightly for God, that you want to possess it always.... The faith fire consumes you, may its warm light shine out of you for all the world to see. Now I shall stoke your faith fire further faithful fellow, by blessing you, by the power of the Lord’s Spirit, with God’s good gracious gift, in the form of this shield which I may freely give to you now. It is yours, take it. The shield of God’s faith, the faith of God’s love for us all, shall be yours to protect you at all times, in all of life’s battles to come. For God’s faith is forever! It doesn’t matter whether your clever, for faith hold us together, when will it end?.. Well how about NEVER!"... Finished the turtle as he handed over another fiery faith shield, with his head bowed in respect....

Nibble’s knees nicely knocked nearly as his shaky legs shook slightly. He had to sit down, then he had to stand up. He sat back down, then up, he sat halfway down, before he jumped up. WOE! TURTLE!.. That’s frightfully fantastic fella! Forever you say sir, seriously.” exclaimed Nibble excitedly. Thank you very very much and may God bless you greatly good gracious terrific turtle. For me and all, are in great need of this super shield of faith in God. In God’s goodness, with faith, you never doubt the Goodness of God! Then as Nibble received the shield the smile froze on his fine featured feathery face, it then started to grow up and up until Nibbles cheeks hurt. It felt like his cheeks were up past his stretching ears as his grin grew, like his head might split in half, but in a good way. Nibble was seriously stunned with a stiff stoked style smile, a real chin grin, stretching his face, till his beak looked out of place. When his smile finally fell, he too fell down onto his knees to politely pray a prayer of praise to God and his Son Jesus in the power of God’s Holy Spirit. Nibble prayed his powerful prayer of praise, here where the rivers run criss-cross in a fine watery maze, and wonderful waterfalls fall in a hazy haze, into the beautiful blissful bays, finely falling free every which ways, in the warm warm sunny sun’s rays, warm and good, in good God’s great gaze, warm and good for all those who wonderfully walk within God’s wise wonderful ways. Be gladly glazed in good, and happily holy amazed, for the rest of your dazzling days! Then as Nibble received the shield he took it in hand or flipper in this case, feeling safe with the shield of faith, his holy graceful gift. He then turned it in awe of the shield’s perfection and power. The fiery word faith shone out all the brighter from Nibbles nice new shield as it was now part of him. Nibble drew the shield tightly under his beak, pulling it closely into his chest which ignited the powerful faith’s fiery flare further with burning intensity. It shone out from the shield with its brilliant glowing fingers of light reaching through the forest, in great sways of brilliantly fractured and penetrating light shafts, like the rising sun’s beams through scattered and broken clouds, shining deeply into the dark forest’s darkest dark depths, licking light across the tall tree trunks that stood proudly straight and true on both sides of the track, growing in unbroken chains of magnificent towering silver white columns that seemed to reach for the stars, unseen and untouched by man for all time. The shield’s light raced untamed into the rather random recesses of the silver silent wild woods of wonder that had grown, straining to seek the light, since the beginning of good God’s creation. Nibble played with the shield’s light beams, seeing just how deep he could get their pure white light shafts to go into the wild wild woods. With minute movements of his shoulder he danced the beams of fiery faith light, testing and tweaking the shield’s shining shafts, scattering and shattering the shadows and piercing the dark recesses of the forest's frosty moist mists.

“Farewell with all that lies before you, young penguin.” Said the angel turtle breaking the shield’s spell that held Nibble fascinated in its sparkling grip, once again bringing Nibble back down to earth. “It’s time for you to be on your way with no further delay,” said the angelic turtle in farewell as he continued on his slow but sure trek back to the refreshing river. His feet now at the water’s edge looking forward to its cool embrace, with his turtle toes a tingle, and his own hurting in a good way, smile plastered all over his tight white toothy turtle teeth, tight and white like teethy toothy turtle tiles, stretching really wide for miles and miles his face flashing fabulously with styli turtle styles. “Oh yes! Sorry good turtle... Please forgive me and may God bless you for teaching me about faith. I hope to see you again sometime. I love to learn from those who are wiser than me, I love the shield you have so graciously given to me, you don’t know what it means to me,” said Nibble as he and the turtle began to part company. “I’m sure you will, and oh yes I do.” The angel replied with a knowing tingle of light shinning in his eyes... But by now Nibble was way out of ear shot as he headed swiftly onwards back to his family’s colony with his prize clenched tightly to his chest. His faith growing even stronger with each stride he took, which surely drew him closer and closer to his home and closer and closer to his awaiting destiny.

As he ran on, Nibble thought to himself that he with God’s help could take on any big evil skua, Why not even two? Why not indeed? Maybe even three!.. Ok, ok that was getting a bit silly ... But two for sure surely! OK….. one. He ran a little quicker and he felt a little better, he felt fairly fitter, his feet flipped and flapped fairly faster feeling frightfully fantastic running faster like flying he fairly flew feeling fine as he fairly fled. Faster, he fleetingly felt the flow till finally back to his fleet he must flee. Flip fella, FLY! Running on and on Nibble neared the edge of the magnificent forest as the trees began to give way into sand dunes and wonderful shapely stacked white limestone pillars of rock that stuck up out of the forest in amongst the coastal palms that grew randomly sprinkled throughout the long fingers of sand that stretched out from the forest reaching and stretching out in one direction towards the rocky coast as though the sand was trying to claw its way back to the sea. The sandy fingers sifted down through the palms, thinning out into the rugged but beautiful northeast coast of big bite bay. A coast of giant rock pools and impossibly crazy caves that disappeared into the oceans clear turquoise watery depths in a series of arches and impossible stone sculptures, that twisted and flowed like frozen formations of broken pleasing puzzle pieces. A coast, full of tunnels and watery arches where the light bounced up off the white sandy sea floor and then danced in hexagon patterns across all the rocks and roofs of the caves and cabins. Here the penguins loved to swim just for fun, but not today. Nibble ran round the amazing stacked limestone pancake pillars that even time couldn’t pull apart, dashing out of the forest, past the sand dunes and clusters of coastal palms as he headed along the crimson coloured coast en route to the cliffs of the north sea. Where huge limestone boulders tumbled up out of the ocean and into the palmy dunes. Nibble knew it well, a place running with waterfalls and hidden secret coves a true swimming paradise. But he could not stop and swim with his very few friends here today, no way! Not To Day!

CHAPTER SEVEN A Question of Salvation

Nibble stopped for a quick drink, as he ran right under a small waterfall before he headed to the crazy rock pools that clung to this curious coast crookedly, past the waterfalls cliff, where the track often runs right under and behind the crystal clear curtain of water that tickled the sea's surface, where further along still, and once again, Nibble came across another one of God’s angels. This time disguised as a hermit crab walking in the opposite direction with a shell in the same shape as a warrior’s helmet. Nibble slowed his pace to say very politely. “Hello, May God bless you mister hermit crab.” The helmeted hermit stopped walking then, so that Nibble had to politely stop too, the angel hermit was very pleased with Nibble’s polite greeting. The hermit happily returned the greeting in kind, and then began to carry out his divine mission that God had sent him to do. That being to test Nibble’s patience, for patience is not given, it is taught. The angel knew how pressed for time Nibble was and he put his ordered mission into motion, where the small and giant waterfalls tease, tickle and test the ocean. For only the most loving souls have time for others, especially when they are in a really rather righteous rush. And Nibbles rush was as righteous as they get! The angelic hermit then asked slowly.... “Young peeeenn-guinnn, will youuuu take the tiiiiiiiime toooooo help meeeeeeeee with a question thaaaaaaat many don’t knowww theeeeeee answerrrrrrr tooooooooooooooooooooooooooo"... Getting slower and slower with each word as he skilfully drew them out forever, plus a minute and maybe two to five seconds and then maybe one more minute or two, then twenty seven more seconds before finally coming to a painfully slow stop with the slowest blink you have ever seen, which took approximately another 333 seconds. Nibble itched to be on his way, but what if he could help the slower than slow hermit. He felt that he had to try and offer assistance, saying..... “Ok, I will help you if I can good hermit." The angel looked blankly back on purpose, blinking again so slowly Nibble thought he may have fallen asleep!... Then the hermit drawing out his words even slower this time asked “Yooouunggggggggggggggggggggg peeeeeeeeeeenguuuuuuiiinnn dooooooooooo yoooooooooouuuuuuuuuuu knooooooooooooooooow what is God’sssss salvationnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn?”..... Testing poor Nibble’s patience to the very limit. Testing to see if he had time for others at this terribly tense time and not just for his own necessary gnarly needs. For God helps those who help others less fortunate than themselves even if they are in a very terrible and very important righteous rush.

Nibble, was being powerfully pulled pitifully into two different directions, did he have the time?.. should he stay or go?, he was terribly torn, he teetered on the tightrope of confliction, he balanced between the terrible tensions of this torturous dimension, from the hermit’s heavy question, a tremendously tense test!.. It has to be confessed.. Not terrific not the best!.. Nibble desperately wanted to get home back to the nest, he did not know that this was a test, he thought though he could use a rest, but he needed to get back to fight off the pest, and as quickly as poss., should he pick a shell up and give it a toss? What should he do? He was at a loss. He wasn’t in charge, time was his boss. But Nibble knew what he should do and finally he said,... “Ok, Mr. Hermit crab. I will try and help you.” For Nibble knew the answer to this very important question. He had to take the time to help the hermit, as he would never be able to live with himself if he left this slow hermit hanging. So, not leaving with his chest still heaving, Nibble waited a while to catch his breath in the hermit’s watery domain surrounded by wispy waterfalls that cascaded like rain, wet white silver into the turquoise sea, bubbling and frothing as bubbly as can be. Then Nibble took the time to say, to the helmeted hermit, something hopefully helpful here... “Your question is,...What is God’s salvation, yes?” asked Nibble, with the angel slowly slower than slow, nodding as Nibble then continued.... “Well, when I was growing up, my mum and dad would always read to me from the bible, because they loved me very much and wanted the very best for me, so they taught me the truth of God’s living word, that God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son Jesus to come down from heaven to earth, our fallen, sick and sinful world, as a living sacrifice for all our sins so that we may all receive salvation through God’s love for us all and through Jesus holy sacrifice on the cross. Jesus gave up his life so that we may have ours, as Jesus is the cure for the sickness of sin. Jesus' sacrifice on the crucifix is an act of supreme love so that we may all live forever with God in paradise. From the crucifixion, Jesus has forever restored us to our heavenly holy father God, for Jesus has paid the ultimate price for our sins and for free we receive eternity!. Jesus is Gods Son, through him and with him, God saved everyone who turns from sin and turn to him! walking in the might of the Lords Holy white light now the future's so bright!!! So to answer your question good hermit, salvation is through Jesus victory over sin on the cross, that is Jesus' salvation, for me, for you and everyone yahoo!. Jesus would have died on that cross even if it had been for you alone. The cross of death is now the cross of life, for the threat of death has left. The 36

cross, once a sign of unspeakable pain, suffering and doom with no hope, is now, through Jesus, our sign of life, love and happily heaps of hope! That in itself is a miracle, that only divine God could have brought about. Such is God’s holy power and glory!... Amen.” Nibble now out of breath again finished with an emphatic nod of his head, he had done it. If that didn’t help the hermit then nothing would. The angelic helmeted hermit had heard, the healing word, but had not expected such a wise answer from one so young. Clearly age and wisdom don’t necessarily go hand in hand as Nibble had just patiently proved. This gave the angel disguised as a hermit, quite a slight fright if you might and could not help tucking his head back into his helmet shell, as hermit crabs do do, So fast, and with a sound like somebody yodelling through a straw into a wet sock with a bucket over their head, as he retreated all the way up back into his fine and fancy shell which left the hermit’s helmet shell rattling on the rocky path. Finally rolling to a stop upside down with a rattling and a rocking rat-a tat-tat and a ringing, ring a rang roooo and a rangatang a ting tooooo too. Nibble tried not to laugh as the hermit regained his balance and composure. The hermit stuck one eye out to see if Nibble had seen his undignified and shocked retreat into his helmet shell with a quick slippery slip, lickity split he had disappeared from view and yes Nibble had of course seen him. Nibble just politely smiled down at him amusement shining in his eyes, but also kind caring concern. The hermit angel then poked his other eye out and then slowly got all his arms and legs out too as he tried to look like nothing had just happened. He looked back at Nibble, all like.... “What man?”.... it’s all good, that’s just how I roll bro. Nothings happening here..... with a... what are you smiling at look plastered all over his face. He then cleared his throat with an important sounding whatever type noise raising his crusty salty eyebrows “HAAAHUUUMMMM HUFFFFF AAAHHHH WHOO WAT!” He cried, as he cleared his throat once again quite dignified. “Yes, that is a very wise answer, young penguin!... So wise in fact, I don’t know if you noticed, but you gave me quite a slight fright with your winning wise wiseness really, which was a wonderfully frightful fright of delight. And so young Nibble? Was it?.. Nibble nodded, Ah yes quite so quite so, and for such a wise eloquent answer, that you took the time to give me so patiently and so freely, I to can freely give you this spare fine beautiful and precious helmet shell for your very own, for free, for you, from me, and the Holy trinity. As you gave your precious un-free time freely to me!. It shall protect your young wise head in battles to come, always. And may I tell you that you can always count on that, and that is that and that’s that. You just put it on like a hat, give it a pat.... “Here you go, I’ll give it a tap.”...said the angel happily as he sat. And that was that!

Nibble wasn’t timid and into the helmet he shimmered. Humble Nibble without a quibble felt the holy helmet with his smooth like slippers flippers. Nibble was so in!, and so not out, he wanted to happily shout out, as he knelt and felt the holy helmet that it was all about. He thought that he could or may might melt, right there under the fine strong Holy helmet on his happy head and really rather stylishly said, “wow, my salvation is all part of God’s creation!” To him it kinda felt like a crown, so much so he had to sit down. Little did Nibble know that above him, never below, in heaven, God’s angels sung as Nibbles humble head hung, as he passionately prayed a powerful prayer of praise, which Nibble would pray for the rest of his days. “Thank you Almighty Father God for Your graceful salvation through the cross of hope and thank you Jesus for your awesome sacrifice. Please bless this good hermit for giving me this awesome helmet shell, in the power of the spirit I pray, in Jesus’ name, and in God’s Good Grace Amen.” Nibble prayed out loud. Then Nibble having received the helmet shell of God’s salvation, the angel then stood back and looked happily at young Nibble with the protective helmet on his young but wise head, it fit him perfectly. "I’m sorry good hermit but I really have to be on my way now, thank you and may God bless you as he has blessed me this day. Farewell my good friend"... Said Nibble smiling hard-out, so hard in-fact that it hurt him a little bit, but it was ALLLLL Good! The hermit now smiling hard-out too, said,

“Oh thank you. What a lovely thing to say indeed, young penguin. May God go before you, now and for ever.” “I wouldn’t go another step without God’s salvation.”... called back Nibble over his shoulder as he ran on with a deep breath that settled him into a steady running rhythm. Nibble was learning to pace himself breathing with the flow of his fast feet’s footfalls, running really rather rightly, running tight but not too tightly. So now with his shoes of God’s good news, the righteous armour, the shield of faith and now also the helmet of God’s salvation, it would be safe to say he was feeling pretty good right about now. Yeah now, WOW! But Nibble still had a long, long way to go and off he went... As he ran on excitedly, unfortunately little did Nibble know the evil watching eyes were getting angrier and angrier, as they wickedly watched and thought, thinking something shall have to be done and done dastardly to devastate that which we hate, this absurd bird have you not heard, its preferred that he be muuurdered the evil purred the word as the word occurred, into trouble he must be lured. And so the evil began to draw up an eviller than evil plan, with its wicked ruthless raging red right hand as the bird ran and ran, the evil needed a bird ban, as the evil simply was not a fan! While the bird is still on his hike the time had come to like strike!....

CHAPTER EIGHT The waterfall of fate and hate

Nibble ran on where the path led into a huge cave behind a huge waterfall, which threw it's heaving tons of water powerfully off a massive black cliff scarred with stripes of red rock that cut through the rugged rocky wall that towered above Nibbles head. This waterfall was the biggest one of them all, bigger than all the other waterfalls combined. It thundered into the sea with such power that the fresh water penetrated deeply down into the saltwater a thousand feet, as it explosively smashed into the ocean, with its lashing mists whipping high into the pounding blue sky. The water hurled huge smashed tree trunks effortlessly off the lofty cliff then threw 39

them at the sea, smashing them into the sea’s surface pushing them down to the deep dark sea’s floor. The tortured twisted tree trunks then surged up with frightful froth flowing and foaming as they broke back into the light at the swirling seas surface, bobbing like broken kid’s toys that the waterfall then pushed with contempt out to sea. The tremendous sounds crashed around inside the huge cave with its thunderous foaming water explosions and whiplashing white heavy power. Fractured froth frothing and frightfully fizzing all the while, a place where even sound itself is shattered, lost in amongst its swirling mists. Nibble had walked under the powerful waterfall more times than he could remember. It was a place he simply could not run past fast, the waterfall scared all would be travellers, Nibble included. The place terrified him, but it was the only way through. He slowed his pace down, watching his steady steps steadily lest he stumble.... Then the evil, which was a severely sick sucking super snaky serpent servant, that sinfully served Satan, struck!.... Nibble being super careful not to trip or slip at this most dangerous part of the path, was making his way slowly right under the waterfall’s powerful flow one steady step at a time then unexpectedly his foot got caught on what felt like invisible claws but as he looked at the spot where he had tripped there was nothing to trip up on, nothing there at all, what had he tripped up over?!!.. He thought as he flew face first into the gravelly ground hitting so hard on the path it powerfully punched the air from his lungs smashing the wind right out of him. With his mouth stretched wide open as his surprised eyes he tried to inhale but couldn't breath, he was way, way woefully winded. Like a hateful hand was squeezing and crushing his spasuming lungs painfully stopping him from inhaling the precious oxygen that his aching muscles so desperately needed. The shield fell from his fumbling, pins and needles filled, flipper as it flew through the air right under the raging roaring waterfall. Nibble reached out hopelessly with his feeble flipper as he lay fighting for breath, but all he could do was watch as his fine and beautiful shield shell skipped like a precious stone away right out across the raging water and down down down into the waterfalls mental impact zone!.. Gone gone GONE!.. for ever... was the shield! Nibble lay on his back for a long time fighting and gasping for each breath as his restricting lungs spasmed painfully not letting him breath!... To him it fearfully felt as though someone was standing on his chest!... Thank Goodness he had the armour on!.. He began to loose consciousness thinking, O no! not the shield anything but the..... Nibble passed out; utterly unconscious and oblivious to the evil echoing laughter that ricocheted around the waterfalls cavernous cliff.

....Time past slowly as the huge waterfall powerfully punched the ocean, out in front and over the top of Nibbles lifeless body. Then way above him the churning waters threw a massive lumbering log, that weighed many tons, off its towering cliff. The behemoth of wretched wood fell and fell, as it plummeted down through the mist of the raging waterfall down down finally hitting the sea, side-on with a horrendous explosion and shock wave of sound that echoed off the cliffs all around Nibble... Wakening him with a start, he sat up slowly with the explosions sound still ringing in his ears, surely the helmet and armour had saved his life! He shook his head to clear it, wondering how did he get here, then it all came screaming back to him he stopped as his eyes focused, he'd lost the shield!. Nib looked at where he had last seen the shield go down, he hung his head as he stood, then looked to the heavens with wrinkled eyes shut tight. When he opened his eyes from prayer Nibble was looking straight at the top of the mighty powerful waterfall way above his humble head. His eyes followed the waters lofty flow from it's towering top to its ballistic base, and as his eyes got to the raging seas surface, it looked as if the waterfall was trying to destroy the very ocean itself, Nib the penguin having taken the helmet and armour off, and raising his fine flippers and taking a very deep breath, dove a graceful perfect dive, off the 41

steep rocky path fifty feet straight down down down till he hit the surface with a perfect powerful splash-less deep dive. For Nibble was a penguin, and wherever that shield now lay on the deep dark hidden seas floor, he Nibble would find it!... BUT just as Nibble had dove in, little did he know that hard on his heels behind him, the waterfall had a nasty surprise in the shape of an even bigger and gnarlyer dead tree which it tossed off its towering cliff right behind Nibble, right where he dove in, as though aimed right at him!.. Nibble now under water couldn't see the calamity just above him that raced through the air to surely claim his life! BANG!! it was TOO LATE.. and as Nibble swam down the tree went down right on top of him, Nibble saw the colour of the water above him darken and at the last possible moment he looked up to see the death tree. With no time to loose he folded one wing in tight to his left side whilst throwing the right out as hard as he could and with all his skill went into an extreme right hand water slicing manoeuvre narrowly missing a lethal broken branch that reached out savagely through the dark water with sharp smashed wooden fingers like spears to stab him through. The splintered spears sliced in half the bubbles that Nibble left swirling just behind him as the great tree spun away into the depths disappearing harmlessly into the gloom. That was just TOO close! Nibble didn't even stop to watch and so quickly continued swimming deeper and deeper as the darkness got darker and darker, with the powerful waters currents fighting against him all the way till it was as dark as the darkest night in the dark dark depths. Nibble couldn't see anything in front of his frightened face, this was the deepest Nibble had ever swam. Maybe deeper than any penguin had ever swum in the whole history of the earth. The darkness terrified him, he wanted desperately to turn back, to go up to the safety of the light, but he couldn't do that, if he did he knew he'd never be able to get up the nerve to dive back in again into the waterfalls dark thundering cold cauldron's clutches. He was holding his breath in his sore and aching lungs as best he could against the deep depths powerful pressure, but he was running out of time and he knew it. Oh no! maybe he shouldn't have done this deep dive so soon after being winded! He began to see stars as his head started to spin within from the impossible pressure of the waters deep dark dangerous dungeon!... But he kept on swimming blindly down down impossibly DOWN! Later on Nibble, very shaken, ran out from behind the water's fast flowing column of power, out into the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light. He just had to get out of there, he didn't look back he didn't want ever to even come BACK! It was a dark disastrous place to him now. To him from now on he would think of it as the waterfall where he had lost his shield and so nearly lost his life!

He was soaking wet and exhausted as he slowly limped along, away from the waterfall, towards the north coast of the pleasant pearly pools. A little later he came upon the first of the huge bluer than blue rock pools, that over time of many years had dug deeply into the coast’s limestone rock slabs, carved out deeper and deeper by the power of the oceans fury each year. The many sky blue pools pock marked and peppered the white and pinkie purple limestone as the glassy water reflected back the blue of the sky, with each shapely rock pool looking like a deep sky blue water crater, as though slices of the sky had fallen down to earth getting stuck in stone for ever. It felt good to be in the sun again, surrounded in the sky blue calming pools and good memories, Nibble loved to swim in the deep rock pools, here with his few friends and do flips and dive-bombs and stuff into the deep deep cool pools in the hot hot sun. But as he ran around them he didn’t even think of fun or dive bombs. He was on a mission. He ran on and on around the rock pool's sky mirrors that held the sky captive in their watery grasp.

CHAPTER NINE Truth

Now further along still and once again, Nibble came across another one of God’s angels this time disguised as an enormous sea lion. Nibble with the sun beating down on him was panting pretty hard with each steady step he took, he soon would be out of breath, as he breathed through his brutally bruised lungs, that were still so sore from the heavy fall before. When the huge sea lion saw Nibble near he seriously said, “Why are you running so fast young one?, you will wear yourself out and not have the stamina to get where you are going in such a rush. You still have a long way ahead of you I should think, so take my advice and rest a while until you catch your breath. You will need it to answer my enormous question I have just for you.”

So Nibble took the enormous sea lion’s slice of advice and stopped to rest his chest and wisely wait awhile. But first he very carefully placed in the shade, the precious Faith Shield that he had rescued from the dark dark depths of the black sea's foreboding floor faithfully. By the grace of God Nibble had found it, in the dark depths at the last possible moment, just before the crushing depths had robbed him of his breath and of his very life, just as Nibble was about to pass out, the shield lifted up off the sea floor by powerful Holy water currents, then slamming into Nibbles cheek, cutting him deeply, but the stunning blow and the pain that raced through his brain had also woken him up. He then desperately grabbed the shimmering, swimming shield and raced back up to the light with his precious prize painfully. Nibble was young and so the cut on his cheek would soon heal, but it would also leave a handsome scar for all to see. Nibble for the rest of his life would tell all those who curiously questioned him about the shield shaped scar, of how God had saved his life and restored his faith with it! Now nicely for Nibble, after nearly losing his life in the dark waterfalls depths he would love being in the sun just that little bit more than your average penguin. But by the time the huge sea lion had crossed Nibbles path, he with all the running he’d done in the sun was getting a bit too hot, Nibble then slumped down in the shade of a towering column of white limestone that stuck high up above all the others, a giant white hexagon column of rock, which also had a deep, over your head, rock pool in its top... How cool is that! Nibble would rest here awhile, but just until he caught his breath and steadied his heaving heart’s fast paced pulse, and of course, to hear the enormous sea lion’s enormous question, as he was quite quietly curious having never talked to a seemingly serious sea lion before. After all, he still did have a long ways to go. The enormous seemingly serious sea lion, while waiting slid and slipped smoothly into an even more enormous rock pool. He glided and carved a graceful fluent underwater curve with his big black swift shadow darting and dancing across the white rippley sandy bottom beneath him, at fluent liquid speed as he swiftly turned and shot back up to where he had been basking in the warm silky sun. He resumed his polite patient pose and with water running down his silky furry flanks he looked at Nibble as watery rivers ran off him back into the rock pool. He sat back slack, wet, watery and calmly cool. After a short while, Nibble was well rested. He thanked the sea lion for the good advice to rest, least he wear himself out and therefore not have the stamina to be able to fight off the big evil skuas, that must be nearly at his home by now!. “Yes,.. young one” replied the glistening wet shiny sleek silky sea lion... ...“It’s important to conserve your energy so you don’t get too tired, for all of life’s battles, whether they are big or lots of little ones in a row. For only God knows what lays ahead in the future, so we must stay strong, ready and faithful at all times. So pay careful attention, are you ready to hear the question. in question, that 44

I earlier mentioned, it shall point you in the right direction that which I hold just for you, yes I do, now that you're well rested, are you ready to be tested?” “Yes I am ready.” said Nibble eagerly in anticipation, his eyes a sparkle. “Okay, here we go then"..... “What lives the longest?... A lie or the truth?” “Oh, said Nibble leaning back on his trusty faith shield and scratching his head with his faithful flipper” “That’s a hard question. I’m not sure of the duration of a lie’s life versus a truth’s life... They are like night and day, but night and day last approximately for the same amount of time. Dude, I don’t know. Would you please teach to me the answer?” “Oh, I don’t know the answer either,” said the sea lion with an odd grin and mischief twinkling in his eyes as he once again slipped into his clear cool pool. Nibble was very disappointed, he would have loved to know what lives longer, a lie or the truth. He picked up his shield and got ready to go, as the enormous wet silky sea lion, smoothly with practiced stylish skill slid back to his warm slippery spot in the silky warm sun. He was looking at Nibble now with an even bigger grin, grinning. “You DO know the answer don’t you?” asked Nibble now also grinning with his eagerness written all over his feathery face plain to see. They both sat grinning at each other with growing grins gaining greatly... ‘till they were both like laughing loud laughter at each other... “You really want to know, don’t you sir?” said the sea lion suddenly serious. “Oh yes, I would love to know,” said Nibble earnestly eager. “Ok, I will tell you, but I had to test you and make sure first. You can’t just go around teaching this stuff to just anybody, you know. This is precious stuff penguin pal, precious like priceless pearly pleasing pearls.” "Oh I see, ok, o my.. thank you good sea lion... now hit me with your precious priceless pleasing pearly piece. I’m ready,” Nibble said sitting back down in the shade of his really rather restful rock rack. So the silky sea lion politely replied,... “Ok listen carefully of what I’m about to teach you young penguin pal... ...Now whoever tells a lie will soon be caught out! For one little lie can snowball out of control into lots of big lies, that get bigger and bigger as the liar tries to cover up the little lies they told in the first place. Next thing they know, they’ve told so many lies that the liar can’t possibly keep track of all the lies they have now told, trapping themselves in a downwards spiral of lies. A whirlpool of lies, if you will, sucking them down in a black hole of lies of their own making.... Then it is only a matter of time until the liar trips up on one and therefore gets 45

caught out lying yet again. The liar falls down all the other lies they have dishonestly told, as all the liar’s lies unravel from beneath their feet.... For they are not standing on a strong foundation of truth, they are trying to balance on an unstable wobbly pitiful platform of lies, like trying to stand on dominoes falling one after another until the dishonest game is over and the guilty liar is finally caught out.... For no one owns a lie, the lie owns them!... Then no one will believe anything the liar says ever again, even if they now start telling the truth, for it is too late, they have disgraced themselves by lying in the first place... No one trusts or respects a liar!... For if you lie, the truth shall surely become your enemy! And with that being said, the lies all die having only lived a short life. Now Nibble, what fills the gap that the lie has left behind?... "Ahhhh, the truth? Asked Nibble excitedly. Yes the truth of course!.. Which has been there all along, patiently waiting for the inevitable death of the now dead lie. A lie that was trying to cover up the truth, but the truth is patient and strong and a lie is weak. Now young penguin, let me tell you about the truth”… said the enormous sea lion as he swiftly swatted a pesky fly off his back with his powerful fast front flipper, much to the fly's surprise fatally killing it instantly with a swift swiping swat. SWAAACK! The dead, once annoying, fly’s crushed body rolled off the salty sea lion’s leathery hide, as it then fell into the watery sand sadly at the sea lion’s side, one leg still twitchingly twitch twitching, then never twit twitching again forever. Satisfied, the angel disguised as a sea lion, then continued the lesson... “Now, where was I?”.... “You were about to teach me about the truth,” said Nibble, keen in his ferocious thirst for fine fascinating facts. “Yes, that’s right Nibble, now, as I was saying let me tell you about the truth... "The truth on the other hand is the TRUTH!.... It can never die, as the truth is immortal just as God is immortal. The truth can never change, it simply reports accurately what actually happened. The truth, keeps the facts company, faithfully guarding them forever. The truth, lives on and on forever, along with the facts which are just a different way of naming the truth. So what is the answer to my question young one, which lives longest, a lie or the truth?”... asked the enormous sea lion. Nibble then happily replied,... “Well, a lie has a short life, but the truth lives forever!.” “Yes, yes, yes, yes, YEEEESS! You’ve got it! Bulls eye!” laughed the sea lion enormously, joyfully raising himself up on his warm and furry

insulating knobbly rubber blubber that shook like wobbly rubbery rippling joyful jelly blubber, clapping his powerful front flippers enthusiastically which made his rolls of rubber blubber wobble so much harder that the ground shook slightly beneath Nibble’s funny feeling feet. “Okay!” said the sea lion, his blubber still randomly rippling rather righteously out of control, before he continued... “Now young Nibble, just as the truth lives forever, so shall this fine and sturdy invincible belt of truth last forever too. I have been looking after it faithfully for a long time, many have tried to put it on, but alas it has fit none of them! For this belt of truth, with the word truth written right around it, deeply carved into the leather forever, is only for those who chose to wear it” Nibble’s eyes flew way wide open once again as he admired the master craftsmanship of the awesomely crafted belt that was indeed very fine and sturdy. Why it was indestructible! With the invincible word ‘TRUTH’ in big bold letters carved neatly and deeply into it. Nibble said... “That’s no doubt the best belt that I have ever felt.”.. As the belt buckle glistened and flashed brightly in the sharp sunlight which would sparkle bright in day and even at night. “Sure is!.. And ain’t that the truth!” said the angel nodding to the righteous rhythm of his writhing rolls of blubbery blubber, his head going up and down joyfully as he wobbled about on the slippery smooth rocks, the angel loved being an enormous sea lion. It was a lot of fun. He had been one now for many years going from island to island looking for the chosen one who would fit the belt of truth. He knew that one day the Lord of the heavens and earth would eventually lead him to the one who would fit the belt. Then his divine work would be complete. This however was by far the most beautiful island he had visited of all the many wonderful islands he had been blessed to explore so far. But he had a funny feeling that this odd looking little penguin may just be the blessed one of ones. He of course had seen all the killer whales converging on the northwest coast of the island. The sea lion could see the signs, something big was going down, perhaps it was nearly time?.. He would definitely have to go for a final swift swim before going back up to heaven, God willing. “Now, Nibble", continued the seriously silky sea lion, "Since you took the time to learn from me, plus took my good advice to rest and pace one’s self, displaying a desire to gain in good knowledge and wisdom... you are to receive, that which your heart desires. Here, take this belt of God’s truth and see if it fits you, if it does then wear it always. It will keep you safe and sound and help keep your pants up and your armour on tight in battle. It's grand man, you understand?, your in the palm of God's hand” "I sure am!" said Nibble as he thanked the enormous sea lion whilst trying it on, he would hate it if his pants fell off in a fight, letting everyone see his bare bottom. 47

That just seriously would not be right man. Oh man that would severely suck sadly sir, seriously! Then he said a passionate prayer of thanks to God for the marvellous belt of God’s truth and what do you know?... It fit him perfectly, as God’s truth fits all who are willing to wear it. For the truth of God’s word, will keep all those who buckle up with it safe. Always be willing to learn from God’s truth, and pray in the power of the Spirit, for the courage to follow its righteous path as reverence for the Lord is an education in itself. “Praise Jesus!”...said the sea lion angel and Nibble at the same time. Then Nibble giving the enormous sea lion a wobbly huge happy holy hug that was huge, holy and happily hugly, comfy and snugly. He then resumed his mission waving goodbye as he took off with new free energised energy.... With his peace shoes of God’s good news, his armour of God’s righteousness, his shield of faith that he had rescued from the dark depths of the bottomless waterfall and now his new belt of God’s truth, which gripped into him tightly but just rightly. Nibble ran on and on, though a ways to go he still had indeed. BUT.. by now the evil EVIL eyes had darkened, they were now furious!.. They were not happy AT ALL!.. They were never happy!... But now they were way unhappier than EVER!!... That pesky penguin had got his shield back... AAARRR!!... That had been so stupid of them. Of course the penguin had got it back he was a PENGUIN!, those guys can really swim!... But just you wait penguin, just you wait and see what the evil has in store for little ole thee... An evil ha HA and an even eviler TE HE! Laughed the evil ones delightedly all eagerly laughing evilly. As Nibble ran, he looked forward at what lay ahead of him, he could see in the distance the cracked coasts cliffs and the cape to come. Behind his running back the sea lion finished his last swirling swim and as he came up out of the water at such flowing fluent speed he flew through the air, but before he slid to a landing on the smooth polished stony slab of the perfectly polished rock pool, he got some serious all time air time of all time!, Because his wet blubber never touched the ground, and if Nibble had just but looked over his running shoulder, he would have seen the enormous sea lion flying into space, as God whisked his angel back up to heaven at having let him enjoy a final swirling silky swift swim after doing his wonderful work well, that which he had been assigned to do. “Yaaa hoooo!” cheered the angelic sea lion as he went back home sweeping up through the cool crisp curtain of clouds.

CHAPTER TEN The Cape of No Hope and the Sword of the LORD

Nibble ran on as he was now nearing a part of the track that totally terrified him, it suddenly rose up and up, around the steeply cliffed cape where the track was very thin in places and wound round very dangerous cliffs, that dropped steeply down into shark infested waters far far below. But Nibble didn’t even slow his pace, as he ran and ran up and up round the steep steep cliff’s path. Further along still, but for the first time, Nibble’s way was badly blocked, by a big black boulder! Unknown to him, by the devious devil himself who had placed it there, and it was wedged in and stuck fast, snugly sitting right in the very entrance of the only tunnel through the cape, that lead back to Nibble’s home. For now the devil’s evil eye had taken notice of this particular pesky penguin’s plight. The boulder completely blocked all who would wish to advance through, under the cliffs and through the tunnel to the other side of the steep steep jagged cape where Nibble now found himself suddenly stopped still. The cape was filled with cavernous caves, creepy crevices, crazy cracks and, curses!.. Curvy canyons that curled crookedly, careful kids!.. Watch your step, least one fall and become fastly falling appalling fast fish food for seriously shady sharks!.. Here, before Nibble, the path went up to, then under and through the cliff itself, where a naturally formed archway lay. Leading into a spooky dark tunnel, that led to the other side of the cape’s cliffs, right through the solid white limestone that ran in a thick layer of white stone on black lava, that rose up out of the stormy dark restless waves, waves full of jagged jet black boulders that glistened as they lay in waiting, wet and shiny sharp in the searing sun, waiting for doomed ships that so sadly shouldn't come. Nibble simply couldn't get through!.. as below him the water ran so deep and dark it looked bluey black just like the black rocks of the cruel crooked cape. Nibble just stared in shock, as he stood stopped in his tracks all alone on the black and white cape of confusion, looking constantly confused at the big black rock that was rammed into the entrance of the white cliffs cave. He suddenly felt so cold and helpless as a bitterly freezing wind whipped weirdly round him, freezing his feathers to his very frozen bird bones! Nibble was stuck fast like a ship wrecked on its rugged rocks. The mean cape writhed with whining whirling weird wind in the weather beaten scary scarred salty cliff cracks of the cruel crooked cape. Where Nibble could find no escape.

Here, for Nibble, on this part of the track, the terrifyingly steep path wound and twisted sharply around a broken headland where the cliffs rose up, uninterrupted vertically out of the angry raging sea far far below, so steeply that they seemed to rise up up up and on and on forever. This inhospitable and wild wind-swept bleak point, had been the demise of many a ship, wrecked on its unforgiving murderous rocks that lie in hiding just beneath the waves, waiting to claim unwary ships for the sea’s graveyard collection of shipwrecks forevermore. Nibble tried not to look down at the mighty jagged rocks sticking out of the wild dark sea far below, like black rocky sharks teeth of the cape that silently waited like ship assassins, which over the years had betrayed many a pirate ship into its dark cold clutches of the deep. Back long ago in the time when pirates roamed the earth’s oceans, pillaging pilfering and plundering them of their riches only to be robbed themselves by the treacherous point, wrecked and cast down into the dark depths of the black water, that randomly raged around the rather ruthless cape of no hope, where Nibble now found himself, hopelessly stuck fast, like a pirate ship of old, caught on the rocks, that were big and black just like the one that now lay in Nibbles way, a huge heavy hunk of hate that now loomed high above Nibble, stopping him dead... Dead in his tracks! The big black boulder was brilliantly blocking his only way through to the other side of the island where his family’s colony lay in siege by big evil scary skuas, the birds from the sewers. It looked to Nibble hopelessly impossible to get past but he knew he had to at least try. He thought maybe, just maybe, he could climb around the steep cliffs of the point to the freedom of the other side. So stretching his muscles first and taking a deep breath for courage, he slowly slunk over to the unstable crumbly cliffs path’s edge. Apprehensively with the soles of his feet a tingle with fear like frozen needles pricking the souls of his freaky feeling feet as they slid over the cold cracked ground inch by scary inch closer and closer to the track’s brittle brink, to stick his head out over the death drop below, to see if there was any place where he could get even a small toe hold where he could start his super scary death climb around the insanely steep over-hanging cliffs of doom. With wild wind whipping and hitting his back roughly pushing him forward in unpredictable breath bursts like someone was trying to push him to his death, Nibble edged closer and closer to the point of no return, where even the wind seemed to plummet accidently down into the death drop of oblivion below. Whilst whiplashing wind hissed and whistled in his ears loudly, as it mournfully moaned and furiously flicked nasty bits of grit and sharp stinging sand shards that stunningly stung his weary watering eyes, as they blurred badly, blinding him.... Then with a sudden wicked wind shove that Nibble could have sworn were evil hands pushing him from behind at the worst possible moment, the edge broke and crumbled out from under his frightened feeling feet.... O no, this was IT!!

Nibble felt faint and desperately dizzy, he stumbled blinking blindly, his feet dislodging small rocks over the cliffâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge, that seemed to hang in mid-air for a second before being snatched away by gravityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s grasp, cast down to the deep blue nothingness below. Nibble staggered on the point of no return, his arms swinging wildly as he desperately tried to regain his balance,.... but he slipped forward...... IT WAS ALL OVER FOR HIM NOW!!....

He started to fall to his death, down down down the cliff, into the blue black sea far far below, but it seemed as though he, at the very last possible second before he fell, he was gently caught and pushed by an invisible caring loving hand, back just in the nick of time, in the right direction, back onto the path, pleasantly and patiently pulled from peril was Nibble, NICE! He fell back onto the track on his side very hard, but the limestone of the path didn’t harm him or scratch his armour. Instead the armour gouged out two deep lines into the path, where they can still be seen to this day. Nibble, feeling frozen from this crystal clear moment of terror was fiercely shaken and scared out of his wits, he felt cold as though his spine was made of ice. Shivering with dreadful dread, that shone in his bright blurry blue eyes, that were scratched raw and really rather red, as he lay there feeling nearly dead, on the cliffs of the bleak black cape of no hope and dread, with an icy lump lodged in his throat, and fear pounding in his head. He shook his helmeted head slowly. There was no climbing around the cape’s cliffs!.. That was for sure, as they were, just too dangerous and crumbly crazy steep!.. He felt sick at the close call, and at having got a glimpse of the impossible cliffs death drop, as they plunged down and down and down to the black black sea far far below. “Oh it’s no use, it's unclimbable!” he cried with heartbroken sobs, devastated, with his heart still pounding radically in his icy chest, as it tried to warm his frozen feeling frightened blood that now ran liquid ice through his frozen veins. Nibble, very shaken, sadly sat at the base of the big black boulder as his whole body trembled and shook with the adrenalin of fear. With his flipper shaking uncontrollably he tried to clear the grit from his eyes but his fin would not hold still long enough so he slowly lowered his water wing then lay back slack on the track with his stinging eyes shut tight, as the fears tears ran down both sides of his unhappy head, feeling as though he were dead. He was beaten, he had given up. He felt all alone. Then to make matters worse he heard a faint scream on the air, just before the howling whipping wind stole it away, only to then throw it back again even louder. It was like acid salt in a wound, stinging his poor broken heart, making him shake all over in defeat. It was torturous, as he could not go to his family’s aid, yet still, the screams tortured him, seeming to say- come quickly, come quickly we need your help, we need your help!... they screech and screamed at him, so Nibble cried out in aguish at the now darkened sky that the black clouds had stolen the light out of, seemingly for good. “GOD!.... Why, are you doing this to me?!”... 53

Nibble lay all alone, in the middle of the path, in the cold cold wind, his body shaking with great icy sobs of torment. However, Happily watching this, the devil rubbed his evil hands together. He loved it when creatures got it all wrong, and incorrectly blamed God for things of his evil doing! “YA HA HA, A TE HE HE! All the more fun for me! YA HE AH, A TE HE HE, A YA HA HE HA!”.... As his gross grim grin grew the devil laughed loudly, showing his black teeth, black like the rocks of the cape, only smelling much worse, leaving a strong pong of wrong. His teeth were rotten from all the lies he had terribly told... Tons and TONS of them too! Then the sound of screams came again like the screams of all the many dead sailors, that the uncaring cape had callously claimed, but the screams seemed stronger this time rebounding up off the cliffs from the other side of the blocked archway. Nibble knew it was definitely coming from his colony, from his beloved home, from his family, that he was now so close to, and yet so so far away from. The sound seemed to call him,... 'We Need Help'!.... the screams triggered something deep down in Nibble, lighting a fire within him, burning bright in his heart and soul, making the words on his armour flare up and burn brighter. He must try again, he had come so far he can’t give in now, Nibble the victim must now become the victor, so he got up, on his shaky legs and with determination, walked right up to the tunnel blocking big bad black boulder and he pounded ferociously his fisted flippers franticly against it, until they bled, but to no avail. It was just too solid and stuck fast, but then he tried pushing the massive hunk of jet black granite with all his strength and with all his might. For he was going to move the rock no matter what! It started to move he thought, he pushed so hard the veins in his flippers felt like they may burst at any second,... but it would be worth it!... He pushed harder, he pushed harder than hard!....then he stepped it up a notch!.... "Here we go",....He screamed through gritted teeth,..... But....BUUUUUTTTT........... it was no GOOD!. The uncaring silent staunch stone stayed STILL!. He could not push any harder or any longer, least his eye balls pop out of his pounding skull. He tightly closed his eyes in painful bitter defeat, for in his own strength he would never be able to make the huge black boulder budge. Not even one centimetre, not a fraction of a millimetre, no matter how hard he pushed or pounded on the unfeeling cold, rock hard stone. The devil had done his evil work well. As you can never underestimate his evil hatred for us all, it was stuck like super

strong cement forever just like the devil’s hatred is stuck to his black hate filled heart. Poor Nibble slid down the stone’s front, he had pushed so hard!, But it had got him nowhere. Exhausted, he crumbled into a broken heap in the dust and black soot at its base, with his face pressed hard to the ground. He was breathing heavily from his exertions so hard that his breath blew and pushed, in little puffs, the dust and grit off the path, out away from his open exhausted beak, in little breath bursts, that the wind then picked up and threw with contempt, out over the cliff’s edge, out into nothingness, along with Nibble’s hope, his only hope of getting home... The hope that now died in his red raw eyes. Flickering out like a wet match, that first flares up brightly, only then to be extinguished just as quickly with an evil hiss…. Flit tisssssssss! He lay breathing hard at the foot of the great uncaring immovable stone, his face pressed into the dirty dust, utterly spent, crying hopelessly, great sobs of despair, that shook his entire body, for a long long time, in pure devastation. A black spirit of defeat tearing his heart apart and sorrow pinning him to the ground. Now when the evil devil, whose been sinning from the beginning, saw the pain he had caused poor little Nibble, this made the hatred in his evil black heart feel all nice and warm and squishy inside his dead dark chest, which was dead to love for ever more. “Oh how devilishly delightful”... He thoroughly thought, very pleased with himself in a spasm of self-worship, making him squirm like a slimy sick slug a seriously slithery sick sucker, a so 'n' so sir, it was severely sad, sir, sorry! Now with all his squirming and wriggling going on however, it made his grim wind within leave him as his lips crookedly curled in a thin grin, it blasted out in a weird squirmy wriggly weird way. “Oh.” The devil thought, “Not again. Poooo! Oh that’s awful! That’s kind of nice though too. Wow, that one’s a bit sharp on the old naughty nostrils.” The devil quite liked the smell of his own unnatural gases.... Oh what a wonderful day he was having, as he sat so proud in his horrible cloud!. He looked back at the poor pitiful penguin, loving it as he laughed and laughed and laughed at the poor pathetic penguin’s plight. He laughed harder and harder... He laughed so loud and he laughed so hard that he had a little accident!.... At which point he felt his features freeze with a fright as his ferocious face froze. He looked down and frigidly freaked frightfully, and then devilishly disappeared into thin air, or thick air in this instance. Lucky for him he was invisible, unseen and out of sight to the pesky penguin, otherwise it would have just been too embarrassing! He then had to go to the underpants shop in hell. Maybe he could pick up an unprickly pair possibly?.... But probably not, all in hell have an itchy bot!

Now the lord of lies, the king of corruption, the devil of despair, destruction, death doom and devastation, didn’t worry, for he knew that the pitiful peasant penguin could never move his big black boulder by himself, without help he was stuck forever, never to see his family again. “ YA HA HA!.. YEAH!.. TAKE THAT!.. IN YOUR FACE PENGUIN, YOU LOOOOOOOOOSER!”... Laughed the despicable devilish devil delightedly. He would now go get some fresh pants, have a sinner for dinner then he would return to laugh some more, but not quite so hard as the first time!.

CHAPTER ELEVEN The Cape Saga continued STRENGTHS LENGTH

Meanwhile, Nibble lay beat in the dust, covered in failure and soot at the foot of the big black slab of granitey doom, sad and frustrated that he could not move forward or get past the horrible black blockage, the heavy hunk of rockage. He wondered franticly if he would ever see his mum and dad and the two new twins again! He considered swimming around the cape of no hope, but then instantly dismissed the idea as crazy. He knew all too well the horror stories of brave but foolish penguins, that in the past had tried to swim the sharky stretch of deadly blue black water, only to never be seen again, lost for ever more in a sea full of sinister dark shark shadows, where the terrible tide turns and churns over the dark reef beneath, and of course the black un-cool kelp doesn’t help as it curls and swirls then unfurls like black capes making underwater seeming shark shapes in the cold capes currents that ripped, rippled and ran round the rugged rocks of the spooky sharky cape. As down there was the kingdom of the great and terrible black sharks. To try get through their wild watery domain would surely be severely silly sharky suicide.

Then bowing his head to God in sincere prayer, Nibble displayed his faith as he prayed. Nib just sat there filled with care as the cold clouds drew near like a dark stain as it started to rain and his heart over flowed with pain. Nibble then opened his eyes hoping for change but it just kept on raining and stayed the same. Nibble so close to home felt all alone. As Nibble was lost in thought he didn’t, at first, notice the tiny little voice... The voice was so very quiet and tiny in fact, that Nibble didn’t even hear a sound, but when the voice shouted out.... “Hey there!”..... Nibble with a jump got quite a fright, as he sat upright, opening his eyes to the bright light of his plight. He stared out in front of him to see who was there but all he could see was nothing, no one was there, nothing was all he could see. Then he looked all around, but he couldn’t see anyone there either. “Who’s there man?” he said thoroughly spooked. Then the voice said his name as it came again "Nibble!" Nibble scrambled to his feet, then throwing his fighting flippers forward in a defensive pose, thinking Yip I've finally lost IT! “Hey!... Down here bro!” cried up the little voice. Nibble looked down and to his great surprise, there, sure enough, right at his feet in front of him was a tiny little ant. This time, unlike the other creatures that Nibble had met along the winding way, the ant was not an angel in disguise. “Oh, hello down there little dude! How are you?” “Well…” said the tiny little ant, charmingly.... “I’ll tell you how I am. God has sent me here to help you and so I AM!” “Oh that’s great!.” Said Nibble, “Do you know someone big and strong to help us out?” “I might be small, but I’m very very VERY strong! Ants can lift 100 times their body weight don’t you know. With you and I working together we can move mountains. I assure you, size has nothing to do with true strength, for all you need is the power of the Holy Spirit, then you are truly strong. It’s all good bro, we’ve got this! Trust in me.” stated the ant confidently. Nibble loved the little ant’s attitude. After all God loves a faithful Trier, but Nibble knew that as soon as the ant clapped eyes and antennae on the huge black boulder, the ant would surely run away. If Nibble couldn’t move the boulder, then an ant certainly couldn’t, that was for sure!. There was just no way, absolutely positively and dude definitely not, all said and done, he wasn’t kidding this wasn’t fun, through the tunnel no one could run. So as he pointed at the huge black slab of granite, sadly sighing as he said...

“Are you strong enough to move that then?” pointed Nibble at the really rather rude rock, expecting the ant to go all pale and freak out, when he looks at it for the first time, then of course take off as soon as he sees just how big, the big black slab of black great granite was. The ant, calmly looked over at the great granity sickening slab, then instantly looked back up at Nibble with his eyes wide open. Nibble looked down at the ant thinking... “Sorry helpful little guy, now you see what I am talking about, we'd need an army to move this.” “Oh man it’s big!".. said Nibble, looking at the rotten rock then back at the ant. Then he thought, Oh well, I suppose now at the sight of it, the little ant, will surely run away, coming up with an excuse like, He has just remembered a very important meeting, concerning something rather terribly important with regards to a very important something or other and that it was terribly important, spluttering that he had to get going this very instant. Had he said it’s important?, well it is terribly!..... Then looking back up at the big black boulder one more time, while swallowing hard, with fear in his wide open insect eyes, just run away, off to his fictitious terribly important myth meeting. But the faith filled ant, just stood there unconcerned, not put out in the least!.. Standing his ground, and Looking back up at Nibble totally unfazed. Nibble thought further, this cool collected ant is quite clearly calm or quite clearly crazy, as he has now seen the big black boulder, but is now just standing there, with a weird look on his face, as he calmly looks back at me. Wow, shouldn’t he be long gone by now?, Having done a run. This ain’t no joke, this ain’t no fun. But the ant did no such thing, instead the ant seriously said... “Want to see me move this stone slab without your help?” Stunned Nibble stopped, stood, stared back down at the ant that wasn’t scared. This wasn’t funny, this was weird! Was the ant mad as Nibble had feared? The stone and the small ant could not be compared, but he could see in the ant’s eyes that he really really cared, and that the ant did dare dared as the time nearly neared. Or so it appeared as Nibbles eyes teared while he steadily stared, so seriously scared Nibble declared... “There’s no way you can move this huge rock alone. I’ve been trying to do so for all I’m worth and for a very long time, but I can’t make it move an inch, and I’m like a thousand times bigger and stronger than you are,” he finished while patting the big black boulder with his frantic frustrated flipper to make his patted point crystal clear, now standing at its base with the rock towering above him and the tiny ant, so small he could barely be seen. Nibble looked down at the tiny little ant with frustrated tears of pity in his eyes, but

the ant just stuck out his chin straightened himself up to his full height, about 1 millimetre and said... “I won’t be alone.” “But there’s no one else here.” exclaimed Nibble with fearful frustration as he looked all around and up and down the steep crazy craggy cliff walkway. A more barren and lonely spot could surely not be found on the entire island, with nothing there but the sound of the wind whistling through the cracks in the walls of the ancient limestone and lava. Nibble looked back down at the ant, with a bemused lopsided uneven half smile, half frown. As he said... “Wow ok, then, Be my guest! But I’m sure it can’t be done, not by just one. The ant first looked up at Nibble with a polite smile but also eyes that were peppered with a pinch of disappointment, then he hung his tiny head, whispering... “Oh you of little faith.” With his head still shaking he got down on his little tiny ant knees to pray. He prayed out loud for Nibble’s benefit... “FATHER, give me your awesome strength of the Holy Spirit, through me to move this huge boulder, and the mighty power and Spirit of your Holy word, to achieve that which your wonderful ways want, according to your will. As doing what’s right in God’s sight is my Father’s delight. May your will be done Heavenly Holy Father, AMEN!” The ant got up and marched right up to the huge boulder that now towered above him, but he was not scared, and again spoke in the authority of God’s holy word. He called out loudly... "With the Almighty Spirit strength of God’s living word, which is like a powerful and mighty sword that sharply slashes through any obstacles of the evil one. For Father I have faith in your grace. May the Holy power of your Holy Spirit run through me wholly, for through You the unbelievable is achievable!" Then the faithful ant wriggled under the boulder, keeping his back to the cliff as he anchored himself into position. He then placed one foot onto the back of the massive stone then another foot, then another foot and yet still another until all of his feet were firmly fixed in place. With wonder washed all over Nibble’s face, Nibble looked on in futile fascination, wondering what could he do next. He thought to himself,...Well, the ant looks pretty serious about all this, as he unconsciously stepped back one pace. Now he could hardly even see the ant, with the huge boulder partly blocking his line of sight. Nibble squinted real hard but he could only just make out the ant under the massive black boulder. Then the ant with a final prayer, in a booming voice, which shocked Nibble at its sheer volume, As the ant then commanded with authority,... "IN THE SPIRIT POWER OF GOD'S SPOKEN WORD, which is like a razor sharp sword straight and true, I shall with it move this rock!"

Nibble was very impressed with how loud a voice the tiny little ant had produced, He found himself stepping back again, another 2 steps this time. Thinking I’ve got to see this, there’s no way he’s going to move that huger than huge rock, Really man, dude, no way! At least the faith of this ant is inspiring, what a pity, he will never be able to move that massive thing. Not in a million years. But just then, to Nibble’s amazement, the huge hulking heavy hunk of granite actually did move, a tiny little bit. Had his eyes deceived him? Then it moved a bit more, and Nibble definitely saw it this time, as bright pinpricks of light from the other side shot through from behind, each one slowly but surely getting bigger and bigger as black dust starting to slide off the top, till Nibble's pulse sped up rapidly with relief and excitement. OK!.. Now I'm convinced he thought!.. With his heart racing, he cried out... “yes Yes YES! You’re actually doing it!” Nibble got louder and louder with each yes that he shouted, as the heavy stone kept moving forward. Nibble was going to get through after all!.. Like no way but YES WAY, YAY!! It started to roll forward on its own accord, but then it rolled back in the wrong direction, back into the archway! "O NO NOOOO!!"... Nibble jumped forward and tried desperately to stop it with his flippers, but to no avail, as the rock nearly crushed his foot, he jumped back just in time before losing his toes, along with his only way through. It crashed back again into place with a grinding earth shaking CRUNCH!.. Some dislodged small rocks from the tunnels top, broke and clattered off the big black rock as they got pitched into space off the cliff. More dust slid down the stony cold face of the solid black boulder, that towered above him, burying the tiny little ant completely, in its dastardly dust, no creature could have survived that devastating blow, the ant in a rushed thrust must have been crushed to mush, all was hushed... Was he dead?... He must be!. It didn’t look good that was for sure... Oh what a disaster!. Nibble had just stood there, and let the tiny little ant kill himself. Tears started to well up in his grit scratched bloodshot eyes. Well at least the tears washed the grit out of his crying eyes, a very small and tragic consolation to this awful turn of events. Nibble hung his head in shame, praying for forgiveness, for his terrible actions and for the gutsy little ant’s, tiny crushed body and soul.

It had all gone so wrong so terribly wrong, and so fast as the wind died away and all went quiet, nothing moved. All was eerily still. Nibble once again was all alone just him and the stone. He thought of the amazing little ant’s courage as he started to walk back to the stone to retrieve the dead ant’s broken body for burial, if that was even possible. At least it would not take him long to dig out a tiny little ant sized grave for the poor little guy’s body, what was left of it, that is. He got no further than half a step forward, for when he had thought, it was all so tragically over, all ending in such disaster, the huge boulder moved again. Was the ant still alive?!... But sorry sad reader, I do recall that I did warn you after all, I regretfully request that you sadly do your best and read on, so that we can finish this mess, and finally put it all to rest, sometimes life is a very VERY heavy test! I'm afraid the boulder was just settling back even deeper into the hole. And with the movement of the big black granity boulder as it sunk backwards, black sooty dust blew out in a big hissing cloud as the black boulder settled deeply down into place, and as the dust cloud cleared, it revealed the dead ant’s body. It was just lying there dead still, with its feet still in place as though it was still trying to move the dreadful rock of doom off itself. The rock of doom that had cost the little ant his life! Nibble sadly looked down at the dead ant’s body for a long time. Time that he didn't have! As he crouched down to carry out this grizzly task he thought he saw movement... It looked as though its lips were still moving but it can’t be!... Oh no… The poor little dude is still alive!.... Oh that’s awful, Ooooo, yuck!... He must be in great pain as he lay crushed and dying. Nibble suddenly was sadly shocked sick... With his chest still heaving how was he still breathing?... How much pain can one tiny little ant take?... How was the tiny dude still alive and not as dead as a dead dude, who has died dead?... All said and done with death, dude, DARN!. Nibble was horrified, he wanted to look away, but the terrible scene held his gaze locked in place. The ants lips WERE still moving alright, he was trying to say something?.. What?.. Nibble leaned forward to hear him better. The ant probably wanted to say goodbye, to tell his family he loves them so, all one hundred and fifty five thousand of them, one at a time, but to Nibble’s

surprise, he was still praying as though he wanted to still move the great rock off himself. Oh... it was all too horrible. Now Nibble felt really sick, he finally turned his head to one side to throw up... But just then.... with an almighty shout!.... and with the authority of GOD’S spoken SPIRIT, the ant with a powerful power push and earth shaking surging shove that shook the cliffs high above, not just moved the huge staunch stone, the ant with the super strong Spirit, actually threw it!.. And without even a groan, as it was thrown!, as though it was just a pitiful path pebble!, Pow, penguin pals, it was incredible!!! The huge rock flew out of the archway high into the air’s nothingness, out into the now howling wind of the cape that had suddenly whipped up again, down the vertical cliff face it plummeted. Nibble stared in silent disbelief and in awe as it fell spinning, end over end out into space, turning over and over seemingly forever and getting smaller and smaller in slow motion, until it eventually crashed into the blue black sea far far below then an almighty explosion, with a whooshing and imploding impact, followed by an angry column of frothing white water that shot high into the air behind it, erupting up like an underwater volcano, reaching impossibly high into the sky, like a bomb blast from a pirate’s cannon. The giant towering Colum of angry sea water that the boulder had thrown so high into the sky, then cascaded backwards into the sea as it disappeared along with the mighty stone sinking down through the depths, to be owned by the ocean, as it slipped forever into the abyss of the deep sea’s domain never to be seen again! Where it lays to this day, deep deep down in amongst the piles of stolen treasure and gold doubloons of the wrecked pirate ship’s ghostly skeletons, lost to light above forevermore, in the gloom of the forgotten depths, where sunlight never reaches. The dark secret world of underwater giants and huge aquatic slimy black beasts, a pitch black cavernous eerie blind space of undiscovered weird wild things of the deeps domain, down in its gloomy hidden chambers. Rotting freezing frozen forgotten and forsaken, a weird watery world, where the long lost lay forevermore!. Back up top though, in God’s dazzling light of day, all that could be seen now, of the sunk sinking stinking stone, was the last few bubbles escaping the icy cold waters dark embrace, rising up from the depths prison fizzing and popping with pleasure into freedom at the salty surface. Nibble swung around excitedly with both his flippers raised high above his happy head in relieved victorious victory. He was too astonished and freaked out to even speak as he had just witnessed a mighty merciful miracle of God. He just stayed put looking at the ant, eyes way wide open, flippers fully flapping frantically, flip!, face frozen in awesome awe, his mouth like locked wide open, as

though he was trying to eat in one bite, an invisible water melon using his entire face, with his happy hands held high, and his arms locked in place! The ant calmly stared back for a second then said... “Thank you Father, for the power of Your Spoken Word, the Sword of the Spirit.”.. He spoke with a quiet confidence in a hushed voice. His head now bowed in God’s victorious power he stood, then looking back up, the ant cried out... “GLORY TO THE HOLY SPIRIT, GLORY TO MY HOLY FATHER.”... Nibble stood frozen for a long time with his mouth still way wide open, flies could’ve landed in there and he wouldn’t have known, or even cared! Nibble was thinking, what exactly did he just say?!... As a wave of adrenaline swept through his whole body and soul, amazed at what he had just witnessed. He could not believe his own eyes and ears, the ant being so small, and yet so full of the Holy Spirit's power, had not only moved, but had actually thrown the huge rock off the cliff!.. He had like spoken the rock out of it's place! BRO!.. O BRO!.... BBBBRRO! It was like wooooh bro dude! Nibble felt all his feathery feathers feel fantastically funny, as they stiffly stood stunned all on end all at once all over his body, like all of them man, it was all time. Nibble knelt down as a tingly sensation of heavy Heavenly Holy fear ran through him from his scalp, through each feather and down his back to his wobbly knobbly knees. It was then, that JESUS revealed himself to Nibble, and spoke directly to him. The ant all along had been the Holy Son of the one true living GOD. “Doo-woooooode!!!” It was JESUS himself!.. Woooh dude, man mate, dude woooe man, dude MAN, DUDE! JESUS then spoke kindly to Nibble with love’s great compassion and mercy in his voice as he declared... “Nibble, though you are weak, I shall make you strong, as strong as my love for you. Now pray at all times in my name, and in the power of the Holy Spirit, read God’s word in the Bible, the gospel everyday and learn the secrets of GOD'S LIVING WORD off by heart. It shall protect you with its undeniable power, for like a mighty sword, God’s spoken word and Spirit is your weapon against evil. For I shall be with you always!, plus past and beyond the end of days, for this is what the Lord so surely says. Even something as small as an ant can move mountains with the power of the Holy Spirit, through me, in the might of God’s spoken true word. Though the ant is small, God’s word made it mighty! Through me, in the Holy power of the Holy Spirit, I the Lamb of God shall give to you this awesome weapon for free" Said JESUS to Nibble kindly, as he continued.. “For I, the holy one of God have paid the price.” 63

Deep down on some level Nibble realized that he had known all along that it had been Jesus and not just an ant. He would ponder this fact for the rest of his life. Nibble slowly closed his mouth which by now had completely dried out. We're talking zero spit factor here people! Nibble then felt all around a profound pleasant pleasing powerful peace, pow! It was like in him and all around him right now.....WOW! So he got down on his tummy, face down flippers outstretched in the now open pathway praying peacefully a prayer of praise passionately over and over. “Thank you so much, Lord Jesus, without you I was lost, but now am found, thank you heavenly Father God Almighty in your son Jesus’ name.” Prayed Nibble, as a holy hush hugged the hollow point where Nibble now laid and prayed. There was not a breath of wind, not even a whispering wisp, not a slight sound sir seriously, nothing moved... Even the severe sea’s writhing raging rhythm far below had been subdued. The cape’s current now flowed easily around the Cape of Hope. Nibble having finished his prayer stood up at peace. He could feel Jesus’ love all around him like a snug holy hug from a lovely love rug, wrapping right round him, as though being hugged by an enormous sea lion, he was enveloped in the rubbery wobbly folds of peaceful blissful blubber, he let out a deep breath and Nibble felt good...VERY GOOD! Nibble stood up on the profound ground with no sound all around... Wow!.. it had been Jesus all along, the co-author of all life, in the form of a tiny little ant!. Jesus had taught Nibble a very big lesson with a very small ant! It was not a matter of whether you are big or small but whether you have a strong faith in God, in Jesus, and in the Holy Spirit for they are the three in one. The one are three, at one with them you too can be, who are always with us, one and all, you and me, the Holy Trinity!... That’s what makes you strong, that’s what it’s all about! At this stage of the story I so surely shout! Nibble could not wait to tell all of his family and friends, all of the whole island, whether they be an enormous sea lion, a whale, or even just a small, slightly simple shrimp! He was bursting with the good news about Jesus, Yay!!!... He looked for the ant, but the Holy Ant had vanished. But there where Jesus had stood, lay hovering just above the ground, suspended in mid air was an all time awesome sword of all time! A sword of ornate eternity, a sword of the word, an eternally awesome sword of earnest eternal eternity. God’s living word sword.

Nibble slowly walked up to the awesome brilliant weapon of the Spirit, which is the word of God, with knees shaking and frazzled feathers tingling as he reached out with trembling fumbling flippers full of reverence and a prayer on his lips, he grasped the holy blade by the finely crafted handle. He was amazed at how strong and super sharp it was, though so super light.... Wow!... Heavy man! As he got the feel of the weapon in his trembling fisted flippers, he saw on both sides of the sword in perfect bright letters ‘THE SWORD OF THE LORD, THE WORD OF GOD’ was blazed in gold into the incorruptible perfectly polished powerful super spiritual silver surface. He could feel its power coursing through the handle into him as the golden words shone out with the intensity of the Spirit, as the Holy Might of God poured through the awesome sword and up his tight fisted flipper fins running over his shaking shoulders, down his blue black back, like an internal earthquake that shook his very soul to its core!, Filling him with the powerful Spirit of God’s word, God’s living word, and it was GOOD!... “WOOOOOOOH!.. What a rather righteous rush!” exclaimed Nibble.

It felt like he was falling from a great height, like a high dive in his stomach. Nibble got a funny feeling in his tummy, it bounced brilliantly in his belly above his buzzing beak, Boof!, Boy! It was bliss!! He couldn’t help shouting out loudly at the top of his laughing lungs... “GLORY TO GOD!” as he stood transfixed by the perfection of the holy blade of God’s living Word Spirit. The wonderful word weapon. The sword of the Lord! He carefully sheathed it in the belt of truth that the enormous sea lion had bestowed upon him. He looked though the tunnel that was no longer dark but bright, and now glowing with the Lords might, it was time to like fight! Then his eyebrows pressed tightly together with determination as he marched through the now clear archway onwards to the battle with a prayer on his lips and powerful passionate purposeful purpose in his stride. Nibble could now hear, quite clearly the screams from the other side coming from the penguin’s colony as they were no longer blocked by the big black but biffed boulder. Nibble knew what had to be done and he broke into a run, confidently negotiating the sharp twists and turns of the steep lava stairway on the other side of the cape that wound in a series of sharp zigzags hugging the death defying drops of doom, that dropped down down as Nibble ran and ran. Nibble was being very careful not to slip in his speedy battle charge off the steep path that had been carved out of the unforgiving rock hard black lava over generations of penguins, for thousands of years that would lead Nibble to the final pass and onto his home, onto his destiny’s destination. “Not much further now!” he panted in the rhythm of his fast paced powerful passionate path patting foot falls, as he ran on and on....

CHAPTER TWELVE Devastation Destruction Destroyed

The wind whistled and whipped wildly through the open archway, but by the time Nibble had long gone, the devil returned to gloat some more over his evil handy work. Thinking of how devastated the pesky penguin must be by now, by the boulder he had placed there evilly earlier. But when he saw in sickening shock that the boulder was now gone and the archway quite clear and with the pesky penguin now gone too...! Seriously sad Satan with shaking twisted lips, tight with raw rage and vivid veins sticking variously out of his really rather red raging eyeballs, with sweat now running down his angry forehead into his eyes stinging them even more, he spat in the dark dusty soot, his fists clenched tight with pure roar rage, as his sharp dirty finger nails cut deeply into his guilty raw red hands till they bled beads of black blood. He then accidently blew off powerfully in a series of short sharp explosive bursts followed by one very long high pitched one, that went on for a disturbing amount of terribly tense time. His bottom was now in control, not him!... He just had to stand there fuming whilst waiting for his bot to relinquish control and let him get on with his life. It did eventually stop, with a noise like a screaming baboon or a balloon that’s slipped from your fingers, that flies flibbering around the room ending with a screeching sound like a dying cat... His bottom was like an out of control car with no brakes. You just had to let it keep going until it ran out of gas or exploded. The devil was so mad!... It had taken him ages to get that rock into place and now it had vanished into thin air, letting the pesky penguin totally through!.. He was thoroughly frustrated! This was something he hated, he stated, as on his nerves that frustration grated. He held his breath and tried to count to ten like he had learned at his anger management classes. “1…2…THREEEEE...!” he was getting louder and louder and madder and madder with each number, so he cursed as he continued to count... 67

“FOOOOOUUUURRRRRR... FIIIYYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!!!.. AAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!!!!” “IT'S NO GOOD!!!” He shouted seriously sulking sadly as he lost his temper all over again. Each number just made him even more mad!.. So with one more blow off, he then stamped his feet up and down ‘til his toes tingled with pain. He yelled, he kicked stuff, he hit stuff, he biffed stuff as he sniffed stuff... with each swinging swipe of his flying fast fists his bottom powerfully puffed stuff. “Oh no” he thought. “Here we go again, must be a bit more gas in the tank.” As once again his bottom took over for three hours... and so after his bottom had finally relinquished control again, he had an all-time meltdown, and no one can meltdown like the devil can!.. Eventually, worn out by his tantrum and with a very sore bottom, he looked down and to his dismay he felt something that shouldn’t be there in his brand new undies! “OH!.. NO!...NOOOOOO!!!” He had ruined his new purchased pair of purple pants, again! Twice in one day! It was getting to be a bit ridiculous. He hated it when that happened. He would have to go to the hell doctor in hell now, as it was getting to be a bit of a weird worry. “Oh dear, this is going to be embarrassing!” he said out loud, shaking his horned head... “All the other demons are going to laugh at me, but behind my back I just know it!” “Oh poo, not nice"... the devil said as he then disappeared in a fowl smelling green puff cloud, with several more blow offs, off to see the doctor in hell. Karwoofing and puffing all the way back to hell, the world of the dead, where hope has been permanently snuffed out, But not blow offs, O no, they are rampant, all day every day!...DAY AFTER DAY!!.. don't go there, for you shan’t want to stay!, not tomorrow and certainly not to day, so do start to pray without further delay, there you go that’s the way, lest for you its come what may! Then Satan screamed... “THIS ISN'T OVER YET!.. And that’s my solemn threat!.. I’ll be back some day to spread sad sorrow and dismay, have no fears, I’ll cause lots more tears, when you’re least awares, and don’t expect. This to you all, I vow my solemn threat, that all of you had best respect, and that is that and that’s correct.”.. The echo of his evil words reached out over the whole island as he vanished as quickly as he had appeared, with one more blow off!.

CHAPTER THIRTEEN The Swirling Storm of Doom Meanwhile Nibble was now coming to the end of his long trek. He had finally made it back to the nesting ground’s cliff top lookout, that towered high over his home, with a few more yards to go, then he’d be at the vantage point, where that morning Nibble had waved goodbye to his family for the day... Wow!.. that seems so long ago now, so much had changed... He was now a totally different penguin. He ran the last few steps as a tremendous noise rose up out of the penguin’s Plateau, like a screeching storm, that got louder and louder with each step he took... It sounded like all hell had broken loose!.. Nibble was about to find out, that it kind of had. What on earth was going on down there?!.. He woefully wondered... Then as he drew nearer and nearer to the mayhem, he could hear the terrified screams of the poor desperate penguins plight, as the screeches and screams of the nasty skuas and penguins entwined as they were locked in battle, the sound mixed in the mayhem as it rose up smashing into Nibbles ears, as the gnashing nasty noise washed over Nibble now in waves. The battle for the very lives of the innocent baby penguin chicks was in full swing, it was all on!... It was all out war!!! He could now even smell the battle, as his nostrils filled with the stench of fear, sweat and pungent penguin panic... Nibble knew for sure that young fragile lives hung in the balance of good against evil. The stakes couldn’t be higher, to the victors go the spoils. Something terribly totally tragic was happening down there. What role was Nibble going to play?... In this deadly theatre of battle,... Victor? Or loser? Only time and God could tell. Sliding to a halt, finally at the lookout, what confronted Nibble utterly dismayed him to his very core at what he saw! He nearly fell off the cliff as he slid to an unsteady stop swinging his flippers franticly to regain his balance nearly losing his helmet down the canyon’s cliff, as he grasped the handle of the Spirit sword holding it in place as he reached out and

grabbed the helmet at the last possible moment. He looked down into the mayhem in pure horror at what his eyes now beheld! There were so many skuas he could only just catch glimpses of his fellow penguins far below, through gaps in the swirling black swarm made up of hordes and hordes of flying screeching skua bodies as they flew so tightly knitted together in the air, a huge flock of flying freaks. So many and so fast, all flying together, they looked like one big black flying beast with a thousand wings. They circled hungrily round and around the penguin's plateau over the cowering figures of his family and few friends, they being lost somewhere in the mayhem of battle. Nibble knew, down there somewhere lay his mum and dad fighting off the terrible skuas and fighting for the very lives of the two baby twins! The knowledge chilled Nibble through and through in this moment of horrific horror, as hateful cold fear blew right through him like he was hollow!, filling him with much and such sad sorrow. Nibble the once brave penguin was now reduced to a cracked hollow icy egg shell of fear! BUT!... He knew that he must not freeze, he tried to shake off the fear. He must not panic. For the twinâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s lives, for his folks lives and of course his own, he must stay calm, he must stay brave, he had to fight! But at that precise moment, the evil skuas as though on cue started to work as a deadly team. They formed into battle formation and with practised skill and deadly talent started to all fly as one all in the same direction, in one big mass of angry soaring missiles, with scorching speed, in a huge flying circle of twisting enemy, all bent on dead baby penguin blood! This, in the centre of their ranks opened up a wide window, like the eye of a huge bird hurricane, creating a rugged hole in the epicentre of the black swarming cloud of the attackers swirling bodies, so that Nibble could now see clearly through the middle of the flying hoards down into the dark heart of the battle beast, through the beasts of battle. And what lay before him completely shattered him. He gasped as the windowâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s hole widened and what was revealed, stopped Nibbles cold blood pumping for a split second before it took off again fastly, now coursing though his frightened veins vastly, full of fears frightful fury!... For what his eyes now beheld, he would never forget for the rest of his life! Which by the looks of things, might not be that long!... All the poor penguins were hiding as best they could, next to or under rocks and ledges scrambling for their very lives from the horrific onslaught of the evil enemy, as their berserk beaks and air cutting claws slashed down on them from high above... 'O' the poor penguins!

There were more than 20 skuas, there were more than 50 skuas, more even than a hundred skuas. Oh...No...No..NO!... There were thousands of the gnashing nasty beasts. Thousands of big black murderous birds of prey in all directions swirling and twirling, swiping and swarming, it was so appalling! So many in fact that the army of them almost blocked out the sunâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s light as they soared higher and higher into the sky way above Nibble's head in their ravenous plans of total penguin annihilation and destruction!... Their hordes cast a dark shadow over the whole colony that lay cowering in an eerie twilight, like dooms dusk darkening the ground, that the penguins cowered on for dear life, far below under the seemingly invincible psychotic attackers flying angry gnarly army!... Then the skuas all screeched at the same time in unison, poor Nibble threw both his flippers up trying to block out the raucous noise, a sound like a high pitched piercing storm of screeching screams. Then they launched their first deadly charge, as the skuas started to break off flying in formation of a 100 birds in attacking ranks, that fell out of the sky in screeching waves, with blinding speed, a tactic that had deadly efficient effect upon the helpless penguins, who could only scramble for cover under the waves of black bully birds as they cunningly crashed down over them from high above, with tremendous snakeyness and skill, like pillaging plagues of pirate pilots upon the

poor pathetic parent penguins, powerless to protect their pups or even themselves from being powerfully pummelled perhaps! Pow!... pummelled people.. Aow!.. by a piratey party of polluted predators... P...Pow!.. People.. P...POW! They just kept coming and coming, in the swirling swarms onslaught, the pirate’s skuas dive bombing in big black bands of a hundred in each winged wave, which where causing complete chaos, as they crashed and slashed down from the scary skuary sky, one after another in a manic murderous menacing mass man, oh MY!.... .......Something had to give, how could anything live?.. The skuas just needed one baby penguin to panic, which would separate the defenceless young one from its parents. The baby penguin would soon get lost in the mayhem and confusion, as the baby searched blindly for its mum or dad, making them a sitting duck, or should I say a sitting baby penguin in this crazy case. Then the skuas would have no problem picking them off with ease. Then with razor sharp bad bad beaks dispatch them quickly, or slowly or whatever they pleased as they ripped them apart, bit by gory bit and then gobble down the baby penguin parts. Yum yum! But yuck yuck really, OOOU! Just one is all it would take to start off a chain of panic that would spread ice cold liquid fear that runs through its victims and tightens their muscles up with terrible cramps in its icy grip, sinking its frozen fear fingers deep into its victims and the whole colony creating a stampede of wide eyed panicking penguins. Confusion is the ally of evil!. Any second now one baby would snap and give in to fear and try to break away unto its deadly demise. It certainly looked as though, for the penguins, the battle was surely lost. Seeing all this overwhelming horror unfold, Nibble confused and scared out of his wits, despite himself ducked back behind the cliff’s edge out of view, to hide... It can't be denied... There were just too many of them for him to fight!. Terrified, he pressed his back up against a rock taking in big ragged gulps of air, trying to steady the uneven rhythm of his racing heart, as it felt like it was trying to punch its way out of his heaving chest. With his pulse pounding in his ears so loudly he was scared the enemy would be able to hear his heart’s loud steady punching pounding pulse, even above the insane racket that swirled tornado like all around him. It was only now that he truly realised, that all was so pathetically lost, as he stood on the cliff of confusion. He in shame, hung his defeated head, as the devastating awful truth dawned upon him!... Nibble was a beaten and broken bird. It was all over, he had been beat before he had even begun!

He would never get to see his mum and dad and twins again! It was so horrendously painful; he wanted desperately to just be able to at least kiss them all goodbye one last time as he fought by their side. But that surely would never happen now. His shoulders heaved and shook as his heart bitterly broke. There was nothing he could do against such great numbers of skuas, one was more than a match for him at twice his size. He simply had no chance. “I can’t fight off one, let alone thousands!” he cried desperately as he wept bitterly in dastardly dashed defeat and serious shattered shame. It was made all the more worse when through the haze of his grief Nibble could hear the crying of the baby penguin’s terrified cries crackling in his ears like static electricity charging his very frazzled nerve endings like an electric shock but it did no good. He stayed stuck to the rock that he was glued to, hiding as though his life depended on it, which it did! Naturally he could not see, that far below him in the nesting grounds, one of the dear baby penguins had indeed cracked, and in a blind panic had broken away from its mother’s protective arms, not hearing its mothers screams, to come back to her above the terrible nasty noise as she ran but tripped crying after her beloved little one. As the baby started to run blindly away to the little one's demise and definite deadly doom! It was just then an idea was placed into Nibble’s pounding heart and mind, which swept powerfully through him, like a wave of a million dive bombing whiter than white doves that swept the fear and panic right out of him, stilling his heart, and mind so that he could hear the quiet little, but loving peaceful voice... that simply said three little words… “PRAY – TO – ME” So Nibble got down on his unsteady knees and with all he had, prayed to God and then he prayed some more and he kept on praying. He prayed with all his heart, he prayed with all his mind and he prayed with all his soul and he prayed with all his strength! Suddenly he knew... he just knew for sure... deep down in his soul’s heart of hearts, he was in God’s presence!, At God’s right hand stood his son Jesus. And the Holy Spirit dazzlingly struck through Nibble’s very being, and in the Spirits Omni presence shone out reaching way past the horizon, flowing far beyond the earth’s limited realms, powerfully pouring past Nibble on and on forever ‘till distance has no meaning and time itself has unravelled, smoothly seamlessly sewing the silky fantastic fabric of life together, keeper of secret blessings yet unhad, and futures untold yet to be revealed. The Holy Spirit of God then settled back onto Nibble surrounding him in love and an eternal joyful peace. Nibble fell very still and humbly waited on the holy trinity, Father, Son and Spirit, his Lord, his friend, his Saviour, his Holy helper all was peaceful in the raptures of everlasting peace and joy of God’s unconditional love and almighty 73

divine grace. It washed over and through Nibble’s being, stilling his hectic heart his manic mind and seriously scared soul, washing away its loathsome frightful frigid fear.... Jesus placed his calming hand, lovingly on Nibble’s shoulder, instantly through and through, Nibble knew without one word being spoken that he had nothing to fear but fear itself, now there was nothing to be afraid of. That God and Jesus were with him all along. To the ends of the earth, ‘till the end of days, ‘till the end of time!... And beyond! Nibble took heart, he was filled with God’s strength, and that the time to stand in God’s power and to stand in God’s armour was upon him!... Suddenly and very severely he was rudely jolted from prayer.... back to the battle at hand with a Woooshh whiplashing wave of sound, the sound of air being raked through speeding feathers in full frantic flight as it hacked past Nibble, inches from his head followed by a shockwave with the whipping winds powerful power punch from the flying feathery mental missile's wind wave that wickedly smashed into Nibble. His assailant’s air flare pushed Nibble’s feathers backwards revealing bare skin, hitting with such force that it nearly knocked him out over the cliff, from his precarious perch, forcing the air from Nibble’s lungs and taking his breath away... It was enough to terrify the bravest of the brave. Nibble’s eyes flew way wide open as he was startled from prayer. Looking over his head he saw the diminishing black form in the sky of his attacker, a huge skua, the biggest one Nibble had ever seen!.. A cold black evil stone of fear then lodged it's self in Nibbles heart, totally blocking his courage like the big black stone that had blocked the tunnel. But the power of the Holy Spirit, expelled it's loathsome presence out of Nibbles heart twice as quickly as it had appeared, filling Nibbles heart with whiter than white light!... Filled with the Lords might! The huge skua was soaring, clawing and carving a swift arc through the air turning back around for a second strike at him after the first failing swooping dive bomb had just missed. The skua's razor sharp talons were fully extended menacingly cutting through the air, in the crazy creatures ballistic battle charge, as he came to cut Nibble in two!... By the grace of God, the skua had only just missed the first time, but he won’t miss the second time and Nibble knew it, as he braced himself for the second onslaught looking all around him, but to his horror he spotted another sneaky one coming in from behind, in for the coward’s kill, on his back flank also!.. Without a second to lose he ducked under the first skua’s charge with nothing to spare then he tucked and rolled out of the deadly impact zone of the second attackers hell bent screeching sweep, as it too just missed with razor sharp claws and beak slashing harmlessly past him within a feather’s breath, slicing off the tips of a few feathers as the flying demented, demon possessed, bird banked away into the sky screeching its disappointed rage at having missed its intended victim for a second time. 74

Nibble scrambled to his feet, blood pumping and coursing through his pulsing veins, which he could hear pounding in his brain. But he was no longer afraid!... In fact he was filled to overflowing with Holy Spirit strength, the strength of his faith in God and in the Spirit through Jesus Christ, and so stood up to his full straight height, high up on the cliff topâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s edge for all to see... No longer hiding was HE! The skaus who saw this, paused and looked at each other uncertainly, they had never seen a penguin behave like that before, they warily wondered what was the score. Word quickly spread through out the whole skua army that some weird penguin wasn't scared and was behaving really weird or so it appeared, as they all flew higher and from high above they stared. All of them were now staring at Nibble, as they circled round and around, looking at the funny looking penguin on the ground. All were quiet carefully quite, except for the sawing sound of their fast flapping feathers that set the sky humming, as in their ears a distant sound started drumming for the skua army knew what was coming... ...and they couldn't wait!

CHAPTER FOURTEEN The Anti Penguin Appears

Then as they flew higher still, a hole parted amidst the flying swarm in one spot, opening up a wide hole in their flying hordes, and from out of their ranks flew one huge blacker than black evil skua with red red eyes that burned with bad bad

blood, it flew down slowly with it's great wings blocking the sun and casting an evil shadow over the little penguin with its pupils clued on Nibble, it's grotesque eye balls boggled out of his ugly skull, as he got closer and closer. The swarm of skuas then closed the gap in behind the great black beast blocking out the sun completely. The big black bird was trying to intimidate and scare Nibble as he flew with his wicked wings pumping slowly up and down to a threatening rhythm, sw swoosh, slowly down, its dark shadow crept up the ground starting at Nibble’s feet as it then worked its way up Nibble’s body till it covered him completely and darkened the ground all around, SwoosH SWooSH, its shadow got darker and darker, red hot hate filled eyes locked on Nibble's that bore into Nibbles very soul, SWooooSH SWOOSH SWOOOOOOOSH! But Nibble just calmly stood still not moving an inch staring straight back. The big evil one didn't like that, how dare a mere penguin defy him, he must make an example of this brave one, for in front of his army he could not afford to lose their unholy respect lest they themselves start thinking they could tear him apart, which they would if they could at the flick of a feather! He swiftly tucked in his wings and picked up deadly speed rapidly like a big black bomb and swept down, straight at Nibble to knock him over, stunning his victim, then in for the casual cruel kill, thinking he'd look so cool as he ate the fool! But Nibble, knowing this, had a plan man, he watched the wicked beast getting bigger and bigger as it sped straight at him and at the very last second Nibble stepped out of the evil wicked ones way, so that it would then smash into the rock hard bolder that was hidden just behind his back! Nibble did this perfectly with utmost skill as the monstrous mental missile whizzed past, missing him by a feather’s breath, Nibble waited for the crashing sound of his enemy’s neck snapping on rock...... . . . But there was none!! Instead Nibble heard laughter at his back. HA HA HARRR!.. "you will need to be much smarter and quicker than that to catch me out with that pitiful play, pitiful penguin," purred the patient huge hungry hate filled king of the evil skuas menacingly. Nibble swung round and to his dismay the giant king skua was now standing on the boulder that was supposed to have killed him, calmly looking down at Nibble as he towered over him with red hate filled eyes that sizzled with hot hate burning into Nibble, that were clearly cruel and not cool for he was no fool though evils tool. "We have here a penguin who thinks he can fight me!" said the stinking reeking skua king, with a spit after speaking. Then all of the skua army started laughing at once, as Nibbles adversary smugly glared at him with a twisted hate filled smile spreading across his frightful unfriendly face. His evil eyes never leaving Nibble's not even for a second. Nibble looked back over the shield's lip, being super careful not to slip, as his flipper tightened on his faith shield’s grip. He stood staring straight back waiting for his enemy’s attack as he squared off with this sinful sinister skua the king of 76

the sewer. Then suddenly, raising his black wings, the evil one called for silence! And all of the skua army feel silent, flying down landing shoulder to shoulder in a big circle around little Nibble, all of them stared at him in the eerie silence that followed seeming to sink into the shadowy ground all around, even the rocks seemed scared. It was as though a dark evil spirit hung over them all, it was radiating out of the king, out of the evil one, it was all around Nibble like a swarm of filthy fallen flies. While this was taking place high above at the penguin colony, below word had somehow got though to the poor penguins that some awesome armoured mighty penguin was taking on the whole skua army by himself, he must be a powerful penguin from heaven. Word spread from penguin to penguin like wild fire, their tongues ablaze as the news leaping from beak to burning beak. With this new knowledge burning in their blessed bird brains their spirits lifted. Every penguin looked up just in time to see the big black sun blocking skua's swarming army circling then landing at the top of their cliff where the lookout is located rising high above the penguin's Plateau. At the bottom each blessed bird could never have imagined the evil presence of darkness at the top of the cliff, like a physical feeling that hung in the air and radiated around Nibble seeking to exploit any weakness... And as the last few skuas landed, pushing and shoving each other for the best view of what promised to be an entertaining beating, of the small penguin, that their king shall so shortly be eating. The evil brutally brazen bully king thought, lets have some fun with this one, and began to weave his evil lies around Nibble, so he said "If you put down your weapons and surrender to me I promise not to kill you plus I shall spare your mother and the two twins lives, oh by the way Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve already killed your father!, I do hope you don't mind" teased and tested the polluted pirate predator, glaring at Nibble ruthlessly as its cheeks stretched into a wicked smile as the veins in his eyes glowed with mean menacing mirth that glowed red hot like the centre of the earth. Nibble normally may have believed the evil one, however in this case as soon as it began speaking its wicked words, the belt of GODâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s truth tightened round Nibble's waist slightly and the buckle brightened with a warm warning glow, letting Nibble know that this was a lie, and so... Nibble replied "the belt of truth says otherwise to your lies" And calmly finished with a "Praise Jesus" The skua king's smile slipped off his face, but just for a second, as he, at the speed of light, regained his sharp sinister style, seriously saying sorrowfully "I was there when this Jesus of yours was nailed to the cross, I saw him die, every one dies, I saw this with my own eyes!" The Helmet of salvation warmed and buzzed slightly on Nibbles head so that he, young Nibble, knew this too to be untrue! For the sly eye could not disguise the eyes lies of the absurd birds worthless words. Nibble with Faith glowing right out of him for all to see said "I can only feel sorry for you, for Jesus lives inside my heart and therefore I know He LIVES!, there are 77

those who turn to hate and anger instead of love and peace when one asks them why, naturally all they can give you back is hate and evil anger in return. But it is never too late to turn from sin and let loveâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s healing begin!" Said good Nibble bowing his chin. The big bad skua king's face softened slightly but only for a spilt second before it suddenly hardened hideously with hard hate, like sins staunch steely stone as his hate fractured face sickly spat... "YOU down there, listen to ME very carefully for there is no one bigger and stronger than HE who now stands before thee, so I, and only I, am the king round HERE! so beware I declare, now get down, bowing very low on your knees, so that I might allow you to worship ME and only ME, I then shall promise you no harm, and grant you your pitiful life plus I shall set you free, otherwise its time to dine and your spine is mine!" lied the black king of corruption as he finished with what he decided was the truth, knowing its more palatable to serve up bitter tasting lies with a sprinkle of little half truths to cover the deadly deception making the lie easier to swallow, looking all around at his horrible army and winking to them as he turned his great head away from Nibble, making them all snigger with dark dreadful delight, then once again falling into dreadful silence, as the crooked king glared down at Nibble, before finally saying "I await your answer, it had best be a good one!" Nibble's shoulders slumped sadly down as his head hung in sad sorrow. The skuas, seeing this yelled out "We have won, he bows his head!" then all started laughing in their wicked victory. "SILENCE!" Screeched the King "I want to hear it from the penguins own beaten beak!" Nibble's head slowly came up, but it was from prayer not from defeat, looking all around at the unfriendly faces staring back at him, of course he knew this last lie too to be untrue, and calmly quoted scripture from the Holy Gospel, "Greater is HE who is in me, than he who is in this world." The black hearted king, at such truthful words, finally lost his cool in an instant, he screamed in anger so that the whole island could hear him!...

Then he started vomiting lie after lie in a steady stream of lies that poured out of his ugly unholy mouth like a river, such lies as should never be told, lies that I would never write down least my fingers catch on fire. Lies that as they left his bad blasphemous beak burned and turned into sharp pieces of broken glass and razor sharp shards, sharper than steel that could cut the victim so quick that they wouldn't even feel the cuts that would never heal. The beast was shaking his head and spraying sharp dangerous lies everywhere in the air, like a stinking sprinkling fountain, the burning hot lies hit the rocks and cliffs cutting deeply into the very stone itself. The king of death then belched one big particularly evil lie right at Nibble, it came out of his blasphemous black beak in the shape of a deadly bone piecing arrow that shot out at Nibble with stunning speed, a lie so foul that it made even the skuas themselves shudder, it shot out of his mouth, aimed straight at Nibbles heart!... Then as one of the skuas grabbed Nibbles shield who came up from behind him twisting his strong muscular neck in a deadly tug of war, Nibble feeling the death arrow bearing down on him tried to tear it back from the enemy skuas mouth, he pulled with all his might, his evil enemy tore it back again just as the arrow was about to hit, as the skua ripped it back again but it's beak burst into flame that quickly spread, engulfing the evil skua entirely in a blaze of holy fire, turning it into a pile of ashes that disintegrated in a burnt black pile to the ground. Nibble swung the faith shield in front of him just in time as the death lie whizzed through the air, to pierce his heart, it hit the shield with such force that Nibble's 79

feet slid backwards on the ground. The lie of doom smashed off the Faith shield then ricochet out, spinning through the air, six skuas in the arrow's way who were to slow to move out of its deadly path were ruthlessly cut in two as it slashed through them like they werenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t even there, bird after bird, the severed bird bits then fall to the ground, with a th-th-th thud! The outraged killer king then spewed his sharp lacerating lies all over the ground at Nibbles feet. But Nibble in the power of the Holy Spirit and in the whole armour of GOD had had ENOUGH!,.. He drew the sword of the Lord then leapt forward crushing deadly sharp lies underfoot with each steady step he took in his good news shoes, crushing and smashing the lies with each stable step he took, then pointing the marvellous weapon straight and true at the evil big black king, Nibble raised his voice above the din as lies like arrows bounced off his helmet and armour one after another, Nibble with trust in the Lord thrust the sword forward and spoke in the Spirit power of Jesus and repeated, "GREATER IS HE WHO LIVES IN ME, THAN he WHO LIVES IN THIS WORLD, THAN he who lives in YOU!!!... Nibble felt the power hum through the sword as it shot the living word of God in a flash of blinding brilliant bright white light straight at the big bad black beast king, it struck him right in the crest of his chest right in the dark heart of the evil ones centre knocking him backwards off his pocksy rock, striping him of all his sleek black feathers leaving him bare without a feather near. The ugly pinky red skin of the big bad bird was covered in blasphemous tattoos all over his beastly body all of them evil lies against the Lord. The evil king was outraged and he screamed.. "Well!, I might not be able to kill you one on one, but my army can, and will still kill all of the other penguins as well, on this stinking rock you call an Island, HA HA!!".. He then turned his back and crazily cried out in his rage an order to attack and kill all the penguins starting with Nibble, right now!.. Go, Go now, Now, NOW KILL HIM!!!, he screamed. The skua army then took to the sky like a black swirling storm swarm, all flying as high as they could, higher and higher above Nibbles head, to get full speed up for the annihilation of every last penguin on the Island starting with Nibble, before charging whiplashing wave upon whiplashing wasting wave straight at the poor penguin colony. The evil shrewd rude nude crazy king then ran up to the edge of the cliff, and in venomous anger, and forgetting he now had no feathers on, lifted his featherless wings out on each side of him, and jumped off the towering cliff into thin air. The featherless freak king looked out over the Island as he dropped through the air and lifting his beak in the direction where he wanted to fly, pointing his head at his intended target his next victim, which of course was a small baby penguin, as he had done many times before. But to his awful surprise he just kept dropping 80

straight down. Something was seriously wrong! He looked at the razor sharp rocks beneath him and cried out in shocked horror and started to flap his stubby featherless wing stubs as fast as he could, but to no avail, as he plummeted down down DOWN!. His featherless body slammed into the ruthless ragged razor rocks and stopped were it hit, but his soul kept right on going as the earth opened up beneath him, dropping through flames, down Down DOWN!!!, to dwell in the darkest prison cell in hell, O Man, What a SMELL!

CHAPTER FIFTEEN No Escape

Back up on the island in the land of the living, Nibble walked along the cliff top, looking out over the whole island, kicking sharp deadly lies out of his way as he went. His gaze took in the entire catastrophe that was unravelling before him. He looked down on the poor penguins and up at the soaring scathing skuas mighty army. As he was pondering his next move, someone very white was suddenly standing right beside him, Nibble looked round and to his delight it was a very very white dove again, like his friend from the morning.

"Oh!, hey bro its so good to see a friendly face, man I’m I glad to see you!" said Nibble as he reached out to hug his good friend. The dove hugged Nibble back saying "Well done dude that was awesome!, you totally wasted that big black psycho!" Nibble wanted to say that it wasn't him who had defeated the dark one it was the Lord’s sword, but Nibble didn’t have time to talk, and the dove knowing this said, "OK, what can I do to help, what do you need me to do?" Nibble looked all around and making a quick defensive decision, said "Ok You don’t have armour like I do, so stay behind me and watch my back, let me know if there are any sneaky skuas coming at us from behind" "Ok! no problem I’ve got your back, trust in me!" said the white dove, as he looked behind them, but at that very second the dove saw several skuas coming in low and fast straight at them with claws drawn and sharp beaks gnashing nastily. "O NO!, behind you" yelled the dove, as he pushed Nibble to safety and then jumped away from the attackers throwing himself behind a rock just in time, but not quite quick enough it would appear as the last skua lashed out at the dove with his razor sharp claws, cutting right through feathers into the poor dove's right wing. "I’m wounded" cried the dove holding his broken wing with his good one covering up the wings ragged ripped wing wound. Nibble was quickly at the dove,s side putting down his shield to help the dove sit up, he could see severed feathers lying sliced all over the ground at the terrified dove’s feet. Nibble could see he must be severely wounded. "How bad is it, can you walk?, with you like this we need to move from this exposed spot!" yelled Nibble to the dove as he helped him to his feet. The dove tried to walk as he took two steps then staggered and fell back to the ground again taking Nibble with him... "I can’t go on my friend, you save your self, I’m a goner" cried the seemingly heroic dove hopelessly, "If only we could get to that small cave, then we can hide in there." said the dove twisting his neck in that direction and pointing with his beak, to the cliff behind them where the entrance of a cave was tucked away in amongst a recent avalanche with rocks of all sizes scattered round the opening. Nibble looking up saw the cave only a short distance away, "Ok I will Help you reach the cave, but then I must fight, for I know GOD is with me, come on I'll help you walk to it but we must be quick about it!" said Nibble groaning through gritted teeth straining as he helped the dove back up onto his feet trying to take the weight of the dove. But the Dove whimpered "No NO! I don’t have shoes on like you do. You will have to put down your sword, then and only then will you be able to carry me over all the sharp broken lies that cover the ground, lest I lacerate my feet to bits, I can’t expect you do that for little old me!" Nibble didn't have time to argue, no way was he going to leave the priceless weapon behind, so with his free flipper, he started putting it back in the belt of 82

truth, but before Nibble could do so, a swarm of psycho skuas charged straight at the defenceless pair in a deadly mass attack!, "There’s no time for that Nib we must go right now!", whimpered Nibble’s frightened frantic fragile friend, Nibble simply had no choice, without a second to lose he ducked and tucked his trusty sword under a rock for safe keeping, then with all his might lifted the dove up off the lie strewn ground. But as he made a dash for the cave, he unwittingly bumped the sword of the Lord, and it rolled out from its hiding place and lay in the open for all to see. Behind Nibble’s running back, it melted all the lies around it into the ground. The liquefied lies leaked through the earth's surface snaking there way down to hell. Nibble could have used the Lord's Sword but it was too late now! When Nibble and his cut companion left the small amount of cover, that the rock had provided, the skuas were straight at them again circling then diving at them one other another but by some merciful miracle all the skuas somehow miraculously missed them! Nibble jumped the last few feet into the cave as he cried out "Thank you Jesus!" As attacking skuas dark shadows criss-crossed the caves entrance just behind them, a shudder went down Nibble's spine, he heard them screeching mentally away into the distance. Nibble and the dove landed with a heavy thud and rolled to the back of the small cave. Nibble got to his feet quickly, breathing heavily with stars swimming round before his eyes as he looked down at the dove saying, "I have to catch my breath for a minute, carrying you has worn me out!" Nibble’s knees wobbled, he was totally out of breath so much so he had to slump back down again with a thud some what exhausted. Little did Nibble know this had been the dove’s plan all along. Nibble lay fighting for breath in the cover of the cave, with the dove by his side pretending to do the same, as skuas flew screeching past, there shadows crisscrossing the ground just out side, their screeches echoing oddly in the confines of the cave. "Ok I have to go and fight now, you will be safe in here God bless" said Nibble turning to leave, but the dove grabbed onto Nibble’s leg and would not let go, saying "O no NO don’t leave me in here by myself!" said the NOT from above dove with a sad sly sigh. "I have to bro please let me go!" said Nibble full of concern for his injured fictitious fake friend. "I will only let you go if you let me check the way is all clear for you before you rush out again, because you just risked your life for me now let me help you in return," said the dove with eyes wide open full of fake fictitious tears. That seemed like a good idea to Nibble so he just nodded his agreement. The dove then cooed smoothly, "Ok ok thank you, now let me go check the way is all clear for you, while you stay back here so that you can get a good fast run up for your battle charge" 83

Nibble nodded, watching the dove move slowly to the entrance of the cave. The dove held his uninjured wing up to sign that the way was not clear yet as he peered out through a gap in the rocks to get a good view. He was buying time, for he was a sinful enemy agent of Satan’s secret service. Fully equipped with an unholy heart and ruled by the kill it spirit! Nibble watched as he inched forward impatient to be on his way, but the dove waved him back, so he stopped and stood staring. Nibble while scraping his shoes on the caves rough floor, watched the dove waiting for the go sign. It was then he looked down at the doves feet and noticed that they were black, Nibble thought that the same dove in the morning was white all over except for a pink beak and pink feet, that was strange, then nervous Nibble noticed that he didn't have a pink beak either but a black beak?,.. Also the dove was signalling him with his right wing, wasn't that the injured one?, the wing that just moments ago he couldn't even lift!, but now was holding up just fine! So Nibble pointed at the wing and opened his mouth to say.... But Nibble’s words died on his beak before he got a chance to speak, he didn't have time to say anything, as the dove then ran out the dark cave into the light discarding his dastardly deceptive disguise, now with the sun shining on him, to Nibble's horror he was all black all over! Nibble had had little warning, but now knew it was not his friend from the morning, but an imposter just pretending to be a trusted friend!.. DRAT!, WHO WOULD DO THAT?!! The dark dove laughed and waved a mocking good bye wave at Nibble with his miraculously healed wing, shouting, "Bye Looser, OK NOW, DO IT!" Nibble realizing his mistake, started to run as fast as he could, he still had time and speed enough to escape the deadly trap he now found himself in!.. But he slipped on round precisely placed pebbles that the dove had cunningly collected, scattering them at Nibble’s feet whilst not being detected, Nibble naturally lost his running rhythm along with his freedom as the dark dove had expected. The deceitful demonic dove, was signalling to skuas above that had been waiting the whole time, just out of sight at the top of the cave, that was to be the stupid penguins dark dungeon. The dark dove of death laughed, looking right into Nibble’s terrified eyes, "Ha HA!...Got Ya, and you don't even have your sword", He mockingly cried, as he waved outside in the bright sunlight, that Nibble now so crucially craved, light soon to be robbed from out of Nibble’s grave cave! Then the skuas all heaved together pushing a giant round slab of rock down the small cliff from above their trap over the caves mouth, while the dark dove laughed his head off, with his red blood shot undisguised eyes closed totally tight in evil delight with pure glee, his laughter was so loud it blocked out the sliding sound of 84

the heavy rock as it slid and ground down over the ground of the small cave's cliff, blocking out the light from the cave, that was now pitch black darkness inside as the rock slid perfectly into place. The ground all around shook with a crushing sound, as the giant round rock, shaped like a huge crooked clock, crashed snugly over the cave's entrance forever! With all the skuas laughing together. Now trapped in pitch blackness, but still running for his freedom, Nibble ran face first right into the great rock that now held him captive in the dark black trap, he fell backwards into the swallow your soul hole that was now the gloomy tomb of doom. The skuas had done it, and O so perfectly, they were all like laughing, patting each other on their black backs. Then they all stopped at the same time, looking around at each other like, O how clever are we, then they all started laughing at once again, so hard that they all fell from there precarious perch above the grave cave sliding down the small cliff in a cackling messy ball of wings and tails onto the top of the rock that was now Nibble’s tomb stone. Nibble while rubbing his bashed beak with a groan and blinking into the darkness of the black as coal hole, he thought I should have known there was something way wrong when the deceitful dove said to put down the Lord's sword. With it I could have cleared the cave! When someone tells you to do something that’s not right, don't give up the fight stick to the truth and hold on tight, look to the Lord and don't lose sight of the light! It was dark in the cave, but in Nibble’s mind the Lord’s wisdom was Bright, brighter than sun light. If only he had thought this, before it was too late, for now he was in a miserable state! Outside with the last of the skuas sliding down and hitting the great stone’s top and tumbling off it, they all fell in a great heap at the feet of their leader who stood at the foot of the stone as they all laughed so loudly together clutching their stomachs in pain from laughing so hard and so long. However with all their eyes closed so totally tight, they didn't see or even here the giant stone tilt forward with a groan. Little did they know they had unwittingly dislodged the unsteady stone when they had hit the top of the rock with their cackling collide slide, unwittingly pushing it off its foundations. Just as the dark dove leader opened his red evil eyes to take a deep breath to laugh some more, his laughter was suddenly cut short as it died on his tongue, as he now knew that he too was now overdue to be dead too, the last thing he saw was the massive rock of doom falling backwards right on top of the whole lot of the laughing fools. CRUNCHHHH!!! A mighty dust cloud rose up from the ground in a choking swirl of dust right round the massive behemoth of solid stone high into the air as it settled deeply into the earth’s turf. Where the stone does lay to this day with all the crushed clowns skeletons underneath, who of course, under it, had come to grief beneath!

When the light once again shone on Nibble he stood up from his purposeful power prayer and leapt out of the cave then jumped on top of the stone into the precious freedom of light, running across it's length in the glorious sunshine. Nibble sprang off the rock and ran towards the cliff top stooping down to pick up his shield and sword, he stopped steadily still then stood straight and true at the summit of the cliff. He cried out victoriously, " FOR FREEING ME, PRAISE THE HOLY TRINITY!!!" But Nibble was not alone Oh no far from it, a hundred skaus, five hundred skuas, no wait a thousand skuas had seen their mean king fall. They were furious as a cry screeched out from a thousand throats, " The dark king, our brutal brother bird is dead!,.. KILL The armoured one!" was their battle cry, as a battalion of birds broke away from the main killer army, like a swarm of locusts, a hundred in each wave. Wave after wave descended down upon the solitary penguin, each and everyone thirsty for the penguin birdâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s blood, all trying to be the first to viciously claw and slash Nibble to death, till nothing was left, ripping and tearing, delighting in the exciting biting, and like liking the fighting!. They all flew in so fastly and so terribly tightly that before Nibble knew it, he found himself buried under a merciless mountain of squabbling skuas. Each new wave of a hundred skuas flew in for the kill dropping from the terrible sky, layer after layer, till many waves of killers were on top of poor little Nibble, with plenty more still high in the sky circling above the poor little guy. Each skua was so psycho at losing his cruel unkind king at having seen him crushed under the great stone, that in their unrighteous rage each bird was hell bent on revenge and started, hacked and slashed their way down through each other!, trying to get at Nibble. So in typical fashion of the corrupt and selfish the heartless skuas at the top, that could not get at the penguin started taking their frustrated revenge out on the skuas below them! Each biting and scratching their way down, so furious for vengeance were the insane in the brain birds that they fought each other, brother against bad bird brother now trying to kill one another, as they fought their way down they would discover another brother who couldn't take cover, and so the skuas beneath came to grief, you should have seen it was beyond belief. Some sitting and spitting out feathers and tearing off each others wings or even a whole head till hundreds lay dead on the ground all around of the big black bird ball of screaming and spitting hissing never kissing big bad bundle of black bully birds in a deep steep heap. Fleeced feathers were flying fastly in all directions but eventually they tired them selves out from thrashing about, and lay still in a heap like a hill, leaving the poor penguin to his horrible fate, surely for him it was too late. They all lay exhausted in a horrible heaving heavy heap at the top of the cliff that was so steep, into the ground the bad birds blood began to seep, it filtered down through the bird mountain into the ground, once again there was no sound at the top of the cliff all around. 87

Behind the mountain of dead and dying skuas, a few small rocks, near the great pile of exhausted birds, slid and tumbled off the cliff, they clattered quickly down then came to rest in the dust at the entrance of the cave were Nibble had fought so brave, but at a cost of his life which he now gave, as the wind whistled past the cave then out to sea, buried under a mountain of birds was he! On the ground there was not a sound, nothing moved for a long time as the slow sad waves sadly slapped and lapped the rocks at the base of the steep cliffs face far far below, as a few thousand more birds flew to and throe, waiting to know what had happened but still ready to go. But behind the mountain of broken birds, in the small rock slide not all the rocks had stopped at the open entrance of the cave, one big black boulder had got stuck and now balanced on the tip of a rocky lip, it wobbled there ready to slip but instead it slowly began to settle. Then a light breath of wind placed a feather from afar on top of the rock, it glided down and came to rest and sat flat, spoiling the delicate balance just like that, dislodging the rock once again so it tipped then rolled down like a train hitting and spinning its way until it rolled out past the cave and went all the way out to the big heap of scary skuas, where it stopped right next to a skuas foot then finely fell hitting the unconscious bird with a heavy thud in the blood mud. The skua awoke with a start, he looked around him wondering what had woken him. He peeled himself up off the pile without a smile and sat slumped swaying slightly staring at the awful mound of broken birds that rose before him off the ground. Now as this particular skua wondered what was going on meanwhile at the bottom of the pile in the very heart of the heap lay Nibble on his side with his shield caught in the ground at just the right angle to create a place to hide plus an air pocket for him to breath, it was pitch black under all the skuas body’s. They had flown in to kill Nibble so fast and so mean that each one was packed in like a sardine, all pressed in and packed so tightly that none of them could harm Nibble or even see him quite rightly, with their ugly faces pressed up hard against Nibble’s armour unable to move. To Nibble the darkness felt like night time, it was like a bad dream, but this was really happening!... This horrible experience reminded him of how, some times just some times Nibble at night would have scary dreams and upon waking, dark thoughts would run unchecked through his mind's imagination so that Nibble couldn't sleep, but Nibble had learnt to sing a little song in his head over and over till the bad dreams and dark thoughts run away from the song that he sang. Then with a prayer the dark thoughts would disappear, so he began to sing in his mind this little but powerful song now, and it goes a little something like this..... Praise the Spirit, God’s Holy Spirit, praise Jesus, God’s Holy Son, glory to God, through his Son He saved everyone,... Nibble then sang it again, over and over in his brain,..

praise the Spirit, Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Holy Spirit, praise Jesus, Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Holy Son, glory to God, through his Son He saved every one... I love the Holy Trinity and the Holy Trinity loves me... Nibble sang his song in his mind at first and with time it worked so well that he began to sing it out loud, much to the disgust and horror of the skuas that were pressed right up against him. They tried to say stop that hideous singing, but being pressed so hard up against each other, and unable to walk or even talk through their weak beaks they simply couldn't speak, all they could manage was morose moans and groans, as they wriggled till the weight above broke their bird bones. Back out side at the bottom of the big black bird mountain the skua who had woken thought he could hear something coming from inside the pile of his pals from hell. The sound stung his evil ears and ran down his spine till he didn't feel so good he didn't feel so fine as it began to grind his mind getting worse all the time!. He blinking his eyes and tilting his ugly head to hear as the sound started to get louder and louder!... yip!... its singing all right! "Ouch that hurts my head!" he said wishing he were dead as he stood and stumbled with a start pressing both of his wings tightly up over his ears, trying in vain to stop the singing of pain that soaked into his bird brain like painful rain driving him insane! Nibble however felt fine in fact much better so he started to sing as loud as he could and the bright Holy words on the armour began to glow, filling the dark night with bright holy light, that shone out through gaps in the blasphemous birds and amplified the sound as it went, waking up all the skuas in the pile of the big black bird attack, till they were all crying and screeching whilst running away with their wings up over there ears trying as best they could to get away in dismay. May the music make them pay! Still others that had been brutally butchered by their so called companions, and now only with one foot or one wing, ran or hopped around in circles, out of their heads in frantic frustration, not being able to stop the Holy song, that for them was so wrong. They all fled from the holy hymn layer after layer off Nibble, till they were all running about hitting each other with a painful shout, stamping on feet and broken toe hurting each other with nowhere to go. But Nibbleâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s song was too strong, the skuas just had to get away like now Now NOW TODAY! with their wings up over their ears none could fly into the sky, so they ran and blindly jumped of the cliff to die, so to like all of those ones, say bye bye! As wave after wave of a hundred skuas ran then jumped to their death all the penguins watched in wide eyed wonder, who was this wonderful warrior up there that the skuas could not bear to be near leaping off the cliff without a care down down they fell smashing into rocks with a painful yell then off to dwell in hell one and all, as above the wonderful warrior stood so tall. The penguins watched in wonder standing toe to toe as they watched the enemy go and let out a cry as the last few fell to die. 89

Nibble with the strong song still in his mind and on repeat he started to move his feet he knew it was time to finish the fight and so stepping over many a dead skuas body he walked straight and true to the cliff top look out spot where he stood once again, so for the skuas left it was like time for pain! Filled and bursting with faith Nibble was no longer afraid, so no fear he displayed he was a bird grenade, with a very short fuse a bird who refused to lose!

CHAPTER SIXTEEN The whole armour of GOD

So in Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s holy armour the time was upon Nibble, it was now or never and he was ready to do battle with his undying faith in the power of the Holy Spirit and Christ Jesus and his Lord Father God All Mighty! Nibble stepped up to fight!.. In all of Godâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s mighty armour! He stepped up in the SHOES OF GOOD NEWS AND PEACE that comes from the fact that JESUS HAS CONQUERED SIN so the perfect peace with GOD can begin, freeing us all to be close with the LORD once again! Conquering death of it's pain!

He stepped up coated in the ARMOUR OF GODS RIGHTEOUSNESS! He stepped up with the SHIEID OF HIS FAITH! He stepped up wearing the HELMET OF GOD'S SALVATION, through JESUS sacrifice on the cross of doom, now the cross of hope and life! He stepped up with the sturdy BELT OF GOD’S TRUTH, and as he stood Nibble drew the powerful SPIRIT SWORD OF THE LORD, GOD'S SPOKEN LIVING WORD WEAPON! Nibble looked up to see the mighty forces of evil in the form of the swirling black clouds of raging demon possessed skuas with a prayer on his lips and faith in his heart. He raised the holy sword to slash into, the enemy one by unholy one, in God’s strength ‘till all lay slain! For he had taken that all important first step in his faith. For now.... for Nibble the battle had truly begun! For with his faith in GOD he had already won! Nibble was unstoppable in GOD'S ARMOUR! He was unbeatable in GOD'S ARMOUR! He was untouchable in GOD'S ARMOUR! "May the best bird win!" He cried. It would be a long hard battle, but Nibble would do whatever it took to win the fight, he would do that which was right, for his faith IN GOD, was God’s delight. He must, he must, I MUST! For God, for Jesus, for the Holy Spirit and for his family. He stood ready in his faith. This battle was God's to win!

This is the penguin's island!.. That God had given to the penguins!, and no vile army of evil skuas, no matter how many or how strong, were ever going to take it from them! In his fervour, Nibble had closed his eyes for a second time in prayer, to God’s delight he stood in plain sight ready to fight with his eyes shut totally tight but now he opened them, eyes shining with his faith, his muscles vigorously coiled up like red hot iron springs, fresh from the fiery forge of battle, and white hot, ready to strike his first victim down. He looked to the sky to see the hordes of repulsive flying vermin, but... but there was nothing to see!.. Had he gone nuts?!..

He looked left and he looked right his eyes keenly darting this way and that quickly taking in the whole island. He then set his gaze upon the ocean over the chiselled flecked sea's salty surface, out past the bright sea’s impressive expanse past the breakers on to the ocean’s distant flat line of where water and air are pressed together and the sky and sea meet forever, where the sun sinks out of sight to sleep at night, but nothing could he see.... No enemy, Not anywhere, Not even one.... Just clear blue sky and clear blue sea!... And clear bluer than blue what on earth is going on here! All of the skuas were gone! Why would they do that?! Why would they be hiding?! Hang on!.. Did they have time to hide?.. How long had Nibble been praying for? What was happening here?!..... HELP!!! Then the sun’s rays got blocked out from high above.... Here they COME!..... Nibble’s focussing pupils shrunk down to black pin pricks sharply beading in on the onslaught and final mass attack... HERRRE WE GO!... COME ON!... Nibble’s hands tightened on the handle of the Spirit sword... “Woe be unto he, who dares comes against WE, let the first wave of skuas come straight at Me, for from their bodies I shall set your damned souls free!”.. Shouted Nibble so willingly Then oh NO!... The sun’s light came out again right into Nibble’s sharply focussed eyes, at the worst possible timing AGAIN! Nibble threw up the sword high above his head to block out the sun’s sharp blinding light, so that he may better defend himself and fight, but for him it was like way way too late all right!... . Nibble stood waiting for his eyes to clear the red sun spots that blotched every thing inside his scrunched up eye lids, but when he opened them... For him it was all over! Nibble looked wildly all around, but then in utter dismay saw that?... That it was just another small cloud which once again had crossed over the warm white blinding circle in the sky. It was appalling, looking like the same cloud from the morning, just a cloud that had appeared without warning!... Not hordes of skuas, hell bent on greed and destruction and swiftly soaring as they flew through the blue in full battle charge screeching and calling!... All of the skuas had actually vanished!... Not a single skua to be seen anywhere!...

All around was quiet. Dude!.. Had he lost it completely?!.. But wait had he? Look out!.. He swung around but there were none behind him either!... What was happening man?.. This was messed up!

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN A Mystery Explained

Nibble looked back down to the penguin's nesting ground from the top of the colony’s cliff. There was not much movement going on down there either, but some weary penguins were starting to look out from their hiding places. The baby that had run off in the wrong direction was now scrambling back into its mother’s crying arms to be safe and sound once again. As mum’s happy tears rained down upon the young one’s head. It snuggled up into mum’s comfy belly feathers, with dad looking on trying not to cry in front of his mates and neighbours, but totally failing to do so, as he also was a teared up quivering mess. Other dad penguins were all doing the same, showing

their true colours much to their wives delight. They all looked just as shocked as Nibble was by what had just occurred,. It must be some kind of mighty miracle?! Something bigger than big!, Something bigger than bigger than big, had just gone down, That was for sure... But what?! There had been thousands of demented skuas everywhere but now amazingly they had all disappeared!.. Nibble now knew that he had not gone mad. His eyes had not deceived him. For as soon as Nibble had taken that first step of faithful trust in God’s armour, God through Jesus and with the power of the Holy Spirit had given unto Nibble and all the good penguins a stunning victory over the powerful powers of evil! The predators that had once plagued them passionately, had now been shattered silent! All was still and all was at joyful peace. God’s hand had swept the sky clean of evil skuas like crumbs off a plate, ticks off a table or scary soaring scorching scabs from the once skuary sky! For when Nibble had stood in his faith with his eyes tightly closed in prayer, the words that live in, on and all through the heart and soul of the mighty armour of God, that adorned Nibble from armoured head to toe or in this case, beak to armoured feathery foot, ‘twas then that the living words of the armour had fired up brightly. Striking out powerfully harsher than the sun’s searing light, shining out in a blaze of bright pearly piercing holy unstoppable whiplashing white light, like lightning, instantly blinding the eyes of all the evil skuas! From the bad to badder to the biggest baddest bully blighter of them all buddy!. And in doing so, in the twinkling of an eye, utterly ridding the islands penguins of their fierce foe, for good, for always, for far out fellas, for like gone for good! But not a single penguin had lost their site, not a single penguin had even been harmed. The bright holy white light from the armour of God had left all the good penguins unscathed and safe and sound! Where they were all hiding hidden huddled on the ground. However for the evil skuas it had been a very different story. For they now without the gift of sight, but still flying at such tremendous speeds, had blindly flown straight and true right into each other with such blinded ballistic force that their necks had instantly snapped of course! With a sickening CRACK!, And a cracking SMACK!, It was GOD’S full on smack attack, with zero chance of survival, by the Helpful Holy hand of God, in orchestrated magnificent mighty mayhem, the skuas had all been slain! So now from the sky their bodies fell like wicked black rain. Others still had in violent waves flown with such frightening fierce freakish feathery force fantastically fast flying face first into the towering volcanic cliffs, folding frayed feathers and fracturing faces fearfully, wave upon devastating wave!, now deadly and devastating for the fearful foes of the peaceful penguins!... And that’s how it goes! 95

Into the cliffs they fastly flew one after another without a clue and smashed, splintering shattered and broken beaked, as they blindly fell as they freaked, out of the skuary sky they streaked, skua after skua, that had been so terribly and totally tweaked, in mangled multitudes into the cliffs, so blind that they just couldn't miss, flying face first into oblivions abyss! Their beaks had been beaten, so no more baby penguins shall they be eatin! Wrapped up tight with death’s deadly kiss! Never, not one ever again to be missed. As they had been passionately and powerfully placed in somewhat of a deadly spot had they not?!. For all serpent servants this, some day must be faced, and faced with dire disgrace! Thousands of black feathers falling from the sky, severed and silently showering down fluttering free falling feathers all around in all directions, as death had been the infections correction. Their dead bodies dropped out of the sky in their thousands tumbling down like black fluffy snowflakes, falling spinning and fluttering down, down, down from the sky, a sky that they had once ruled in their multitudes, but now were all dead and dropping out of with cracked cry’s, like lots of dead flies into the hungry ocean below never to be seen again you know! By God’s Power their screeches had been permanently extinguished, instantly leaving an eerie coastal echo of dying sound disappearing up the ghost coast as the last screeches escaped fading up the beaches into the cracks and crevices of the black lava cliffs. Cliffs that were once red hot, alive molten magma of moving mantle, but now cold hard dead unfeeling frozen stone! For many days to come hungry killer whales feasted on the banquet from God’s hand, having heard God’s call, to come from far and wide to the mighty feast of all the dead skuas lifeless scrummy carcasses, devouring ravenously all traces of the evil birds of doom. They, a true product of a filthy fallen world, where they were kin to sin, but now all eaten right down to the last fluttering afloat feather, left adrift upon the icy silver surface of the stunning deep blue metallic sea, for of their filthy feathers it was now feather free. No more waves of attacking skuas, for Nibble's family and fine feathered few friends, the only waves now at the end of their long journey across the oceans where the swells of saltwater, stacked one upon another, marching in like ranks of salty soldiers, sent in by arctic storms, the howling generals in the wastes of the deep southern oceans, that violently tear recklessly around unchecked at the bottom of our planet, waging their endless stormy war, of water versus rock at the base of the penguin’s cliff, where the penguins in wonder watched, as the waves ranks disintegrated into white lines of defeated fighting foam in amongst the fortress of defiant waiting rocks, the waves ending their lives dashed amongst the mighty magnificent volcanic black boulders of the defiant jagged coast, finally dying hopelessly spent, throwing up white foamy frothy flags of salty surrender in defeat!... But the water’s war is long from over, like sin against saint or love against hate, it will rage on all around the world and at the base of the cliff, where Nibble’s colony 96

now sat safe and sound high above the endlessly waged, watery war against ground, where to this day no skuas can be found. Nibble’s colony now sat in an eerie silence, a silence so thick and heavy, it seemingly pressed physically down on all the rescued penguins, pinning them all to the spot keeping them quite quiet. The penguins at the front in the first few rows were looking up with Nibbles family and his few friends. To one side of them the tall penguin Paul, that the others all looked up to, were now all looking up along with Paul at Nibble. And on the other side, of course, Curl the beautiful girl gazed up in amazement. Those closest to the cliff all stood still with eyes cast up at the Christian soldier. What would he do next?... The heavy weight of what had just occurred to them was so tremendous that it struck them all still, it was hard to believe that all the skuas were gone!.. There was not a movement to be seen... The silence pressed down on all of them, young and old alike... No one dared move.... lest their actions bring the skuas all screeching back some how!... Overlooking this extraordinary event, at the top of the lookout cliff, stood a silhouetted solitary figure, that of young Nibble, in bright and shiny fiery awesome armour, with the mighty Spirit sword still raised above his helmeted head in God’s good gracious glory!. None below knew or could see that it was just Nibble, as the seconds drew out and time ticked slowly past them all. Then also at the back of the colony one of the other penguin’s head turned to look up at their sublime liberator. The unknown soldier. Then another looked up at the wonderful warrior, then another, slowly at first then one by one they all turned their heads to stare up ‘till the whole colony of penguins were standing and staring in wonder to see this lone figure, at the top of their cliff, lit up by the setting sun’s rather righteous rays. There was also one tiny snail looking up too, but he’s got nothing to do with it! Nibble was too stunned and shy to speak out. He didn’t know what to say anyway, even if he could, which he couldn’t. Everyone was looking at him man. He, feeling self-conscious, froze to the spot where he stood as the minutes slowly drew out longer and longer and started to hold ticking hands dragging one another along in a slow dance around the whole colony,.. So, to sum up, the minutes were having fun!.. But Nibble certainly wasn't... Then small whispers started going through the colony, like a light timid breeze. The whispers were asking... “Who is this mighty warrior that has delivered us from our certain doom, from the horrible crazy claws of the big repulsive evil skuas grasp?”

“Who is the one that now stands in God’s vast vivid victorious victory?!” “Have you seen them before?” “Do you recognize this Daring dashing hero?” “Where has he come from?” "Why does he just stand there so?" "Can he eat as many sardines as I can in one go? But the answer by all was, “I wish I knew, but I don’t know.” Then the whispers died back down into silence seemingly making it even heavier,.... it was unbearable. The heavy hushed spell hung in the air over the whole island, for like ever man, plus a few more minutes, then approximately 3 point 3 seconds. As they all stood still looking up, the dark backlit figure with fiery armour looked back down, nothing moved no one dared to speak... The heavy hush had extended far out in all directions as though forever reaching out over the island and beyond, way out over the wind manicured waves, that perfectly pealed hollow upon the points, their sets stacked one upon the other on the ocean’s liquid mercury surface, all the way out to the unknown world of the iceberg’s kingdom and then back again, but the silence did not come back alone, O no it had collected company, in the form of one huge rogue wave from the deep south’s domain, a giant and humungous monster wall of water that thunderously engulfed the coastal cliffs far beneath where the awe struck penguins stood. It smashed and exploded as the towering wall of water through itself at the boulders of the island’s cliff fortress, with a momentous earth shattering rock splitting basey boom, the sound raced up the cliff with a powerful roar!, It's mighty volume of sound echoed over the whole island and washed over the clammy colony, smashing the silent’s spell, that had held the penguins fast in its now shattered fingerless grasp, startling every penguin who still stared in stunned silence. It was at this momentous moment, that the king penguin bravely stepped forward raising his flipper to his beak. He shouted up with a shaky voice... “God bless you mighty warrior!.... “Who are you?, Are you from heaven?.. Might we all know your name?, great kind Christian soldier” The penguins who had teased and laughed at Nibble in the morning were now all looking at the king then back up at this powerful penguin. It was just then that God placed upon Paul the tall popular penguin's heart, that the time had come to act and raising one flipper he pointed up at Nibble saying to all those around him.. "That is by far the most mighty penguin I’ve ever seen!" he shouted passionately with true feeling. As the others all nodded their utter agreement with eyes and mouths wide open, even the King couldn't help but nod his crown up and down as all the penguins looked up at Nibble in awe. 98

Nibble slowly lowered the sword and went to call down, that it was just him, Nibble,.. just little ol’ Nibble... That it, was GOD!, who had saved them ALL, not him!, he was no mighty warrior, but at that precise moment, when Nibble went to call out, the armour of God’s righteousness, the shoes of peace from the good news, the helmet of salvation, the Spirit sword of God’s word, the belt of truth and finally the shield of faith mysteriously liquefied and turned into holy water which quickly soaked into Nibble’s tingling feathers, through his skin and body, into his spirit, absorbing deeply into his heart, washing right through his bones and into his very soul! But the armour had not gone anywhere! It was still there... God’s armour is in all, who have faith and trust in God, Jesus and the Holy Spirit, and God's Holy army of Angels, the faithful will always be able to call upon God’s armour, to protect you from every thing and any thing, especially in times of great strife. THE WHOLE ARMOUR OF GOD. It will never leave you, for it is always there. As strong as truth, Stronger than all time, as strong as God’s love for us all, living as long as truth, and we all know, that truth lives forever and for ever more!... plus a bit more!. The armour of God is as strong as God himself, always there to be counted on, as you can count on his unconditional love for us all!.... ...UNCONDITIONALLY!!!... PERFECTLY! Bound up tight in a perfect love of the Lord forever for eternity, for you and for me!!! For God is always with those who, in love for Him turn from sin keeping their future bright for God is the Light! Through Jesus, God will never reject you. He loves you too much, God loves us perfectly, now and in times of great need, standing firm and fast by your side, even through extreme battles and strife!, even though at times we may fall, the Lord is faithfully with us all, always ready to forgive our weakness and in His grace pick us up again and again, for even our weakness is the Lord’s strength. To error is human to forgive is Divine. God faithfully and lovingly protects all his beloved children! and penguins! with his mighty armour! Now Nibble knew the armour of God that lay within him, would always be there to protect him and keep him safe. No matter what dirty devious tricks the devil digs up, or pulls from his sad sucking sorrowful sack of sin. 99

For God’s graceful love is for us all! Keeping us safe and protected from beginning and beyond, battling on our behalf, in all of life’s battles, that we must all face, as they are thrown at us, often at the worst possible times, that pale in comparison to the ballistic battle over sin that Jesus has won for us all, long ago!, on the cross of Calvary! For if a dark cloud hangith over you, one day it shall be swept away revealing the sun that was always there all along! So step into the light! For the darkest cloud of them all, the cloud of sin has been washed away, by the Holy power of Jesus, by the perfect love of the holy trinity, The Father Son and Spirit, for all, for always, for ever! The battle that Jesus fought, puts our little battles into perspective!.. So keep your eyes on Him and He will show you the armour of God and how to use it, read the bible everyday, stay alert, pray diligently in the power of the Spirit always, so you too can fight the good fight, and at battles end still be standing firm! In Nibble’s battle, he showed God his faith in Him, when Nibble took that first step of faith, high up on the cliff top, though he was surrounded by the enemy and staring down the barrel of impossible odds. Nibble took that faith filled step, and stood in his faith in God, Nibble trusted God to fight, for him, a fight that looked like certain death... But his faith in God gave him courage. Nibble stepped out in his loving faith, in God’s armour which is God’s loving armour for us all! Nibble stood in his faith in God to fight against evil, Nibble didn't stand up for himself, he stood up for others with God. He just had to take that first faithful step, and in doing so, this set off Jesus’ winning powerful power into play. The birds of prey were no match for the birds that pray! Automatically Jesus through the armour, took swift and mighty Spirit action by blinding the evil skuas, powerfully stopping the unholy hordes, generously sharing with Nibble the glorious victory over his evil adversaries and feathery freaky ferocious foes. After the anti penguin and the evil one had appeared as a fake friend, Jesus gave this awesome victory to Nibble, as Jesus through the amour struck out, blinding the evil enemy instantly, as in this battle’s case, there was no time to waste. However that’s not always the Master’s mission. Sometimes we don’t know the proper plan, and we get impatient, man. We think why did God not stop 'THAT' from happening?!.. Well that’s where our faith has to be strong in Him, as He has us all in the palm of His loving hand. So be patient, for patience is not given it is taught. God knows what He is doing, so stay strong in your armour, and in love, have faith and trust in Him. God loves you dudes and dudettes!, we are all His children!

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The evil skuas had no chance against Jesus’ awesome holy power through the Holy Spirit!, which is the spirit lifter to lift the spirit, the Heavenly Holy helper who lifts the spirits of all, everybody, you and me, great and small. Now Nibble standing strong and encouraged, in this awesome knowledge, having witnessed the Holy Spirit’s power first hand, confidently called back down to the penguin king who stood waiting before all the penguins and Nibble’s family and friends. “God bless you too, good king penguin!... ‘tis only I, young Nibble, you all know me!.. Boy!, Wow!.. Do I have a story to tell you guys!. And everyone here, even that snail!... if he has ears to listen” As Nibble finished speaking, the sun flared brightly as it set with a beautiful array of colours as it's last lingering light shone on them all bathing them in a soft warm restful red and peaceful pink light. It was like likeable light, the lovely light of love. The pleasantly coloured rays caught Nibble’s family in a strong beam of warm lovely light, so Nibble could clearly see his mum and dad and each with a twin in their loving flippery flippers, all safe and sound. As it was a magnificent mighty merciful marvellous merry miracle, that not one baby penguin had been lost! Behind the current king penguin, all the penguins faces stared up at Nibble, somewhere in their midst was one particularly pretty pair of penguin pupils in the pleasant face of Curl the girl who with love in her heart like a pearl for Nibble and the Lord where she gracefully stood staring, thanking the Lord for Nibble looking up at him with love shining in her lovely eyes for now she knew that they were God’s gift to each other, and you guessed it, tall Paul was her brother! Nibble was so very happy and so very relieved at seeing them all alive and well, that he couldn’t help shouting out loudly at the top his laughing lungs, from the top of the cliff, on top of his watery wonderful world.. "PRAISE THE HOLY SPIRIT! PRAISE JESUS! GLORY TO GOD!” He never would have dreamed that in the not to distant future he and Curl would be Mr. and Mrs. Nibble! But Curl knew as her heart overflowed with love for him. Nibble then cried out from the tremendously tall towering tumultuous tantalizing tippity top of the island triumphantly!... totally taking tons of time too, to taste the triumph on his tingling tasting tongue, testing 'n' tweaking it's tasty terrific triumphant tangy tongue toffee! YAY!!! The Holy Spirit swept through the whole Island and filled every heart, even the snail’s to overflowing!, and they all at the same time joined in too! HALLELUJAH!.. They sang all happily singing as they sung, for the real story had begun! For Nibble and the whole penguin colony, the future looked brighter than ever!

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Now for Nibble, there was a lot more than just fishing to teach his baby twin brother and sister! That was for sure!

The beginning.

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EPHESIANS 6 v10 The Whole Armour of God A final word: Be strong with the Lord's mighty power. Put on all of God's armour so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies and tricks of the Devil. For we are not fighting against people made of flesh and blood, but against the evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against those mighty powers of darkness who rule this world, and against wicked spirits in the heavenly realms. Use every piece of God's armour to resist the enemy in the time of evil, so that after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the sturdy belt of truth and the body armour of God's righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the good news, so you will be fully prepared. In every battle you will need faith as your shield to stop the fiery arrows aimed at you by Satan. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Pray at all times and on every occasion in the power of the Holy Spirit. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all Christians everywhereâ&#x20AC;Ś

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