Chapter 16
The flocks of mallards with Stan in the lead came to a marsh, “We will camp here tonight!” Angie was still disappointed about leaving Willow River but she kept praying as she and her sons touch the cool water it felt so good on her wings, they been flying non-stop the whole day.  Stan did not want to stop, fearing the first frost, he has shortened the breaks to just 10 minutes and back up into the sky again.
 
 “Mommy, I am so tired!” Ben laid his head on her mother.  “Relax, sweetie!”  Angie looked around at all the mallards when suddenly she could not find her Jason, giving out a quiet quack, “Come on Ben we must find you brother.”  Angie turned the corner behind some cattails and reeds; there was her son, flirting with a female mallard.
 
 Angie smiled to herself, but something was wrong the female was not moving, “Angie screamed at the top of her lungs, “JASON!” Out of nowhere came Buttercup she covered Jason with her wings as bullets shot at her as she protected Jason, suddenly Buttercup’s body went lifeless.
 
  Little Ben watched his mother turn into a golden light circling Buttercup, quickly Jason flew from under her, like something protecting her as she picks up Jason as bullets started to fly.  Angie, Ben and Jason soared high into the clouds.  Angie looked back with tears in her eyes as half of her friends where being slaughtered and hung on poles.  One hunter held up Stan the lead bird carcass, “Hey, I want this one stuff and hung on my wall, I will send it to taxidermy tonight…the guy at work will be surprise, it’s a beauty.”
 
She could not look anymore when she saw Jerry the strong drake of the group being carried away by a big hunting dog.  Jason almost hit a tree with a big poster saying, “DUCK HUNTING SEASON HAS STARTED!”  Finally landing in remote woods, Jason was uttering soft reedy notes uncontrollably.
 
 “Mother, I’m so sorry, you saved my life, I didn’t know, I just didn’t know she was the enemy, she was so pretty all painted up.  I just didn’t know.”
 
 Mother gave Jason a big feather down hug.  “I should have warned you, ducklings, we must be extra careful now, and we are being hunted.  The hunters will try anything to get us from whistles that sound like us, wooden mallards that look like us, netting and last placing food out to catch us. We must be on guard until duck hunting season is over and that sometimes goes right into winter.” 
 
Jason wiped away his tears with his feathers. “Mother is it safe now?”  Mother looked around with alarm, “Little Ducklings we are not safe, until we get to Faith River, it’s the only place protected for our kind!  Until we get to Faith River we must pray for God for guidance and lots of courage to never give up.”
 
 Ben will never forget the way his mother looked when his mother saved Jason by the grace of God saving his mother and brother.  Quietly he said a pray of thanksgiving.

Thank you for reading. If interested in purchasing Adventure to Faith River go to this link. https://www.rejoicewithin.com/store/p54/Adventure_to_Faith_River_Novel.html

Here is a sneak preview of one scene from my new eBook called Rum-Te-Tum-Tum-Crunch...Kerplunk. 

Barry sat next to his sister when she laid her head on his shoulder.  “Think of home Rosemary, of Mommy and Dad” 
 
A strange looking car flew by with another following; suddenly they stopped by the children.  Five individuals dressed like fruit, jumped out of a polka car and five more individuals dressed like vegetables jumped out of green car.   Both cars had commercial license plates.  The two groups the fruit and vegetables started to fight with spoons and forks. 
 
Both Rosemary and Barry eyes were enormous; they only saw this stuff on television but without the costumes and utensils a course.  Unexpectedly a tomato came running from somewhere, it pushed itself between the vegetables and fruits.  
 
Barry noticed that Tomato from somewhere, but he could not put the vegetable face on anything.
 
The two groups started doing finger games,
“Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, Pease porridge in the pot, nine days old, some like it hot some like it cold, some like it in the pot nine days old.” 
 
The tomato lost the game and it started get boiling mad, “I’m a tuh-MAY-toh not a tuh-MAH-toh.” he sat down when suddenly the vegetable and fruit started repeating tuh-MAH-toh not tuh-MAY-toh.  The vegetable group attacked the poor ripe tomato by pulling him back and the fruit group got into the game and pulled the poor tomato toward them. They were heading for Barry.  Rosemary screamed with horror,  “Barry watched out.”  The tomato split into two and tomato juice was everywhere.
 
Suddenly there was a loud siren heading toward the children.   Quickly the two cars took off, one part of the tomato went into the polka car and the other into the green car and they zoomed away.  Following the car were 10 vans with their sirens ringing with printing on the side FDA, USDA, EPA and CDC and even the CIA (Culinary Institute of America), chased after the fruit and vegetable cars.   Rosemary and Barry looked at each other; only evidence left was the tomato stains, plus one packet of seeds.
 
“That scared the jellybeans out of me didn’t it you Rosemary?” 
“Do you think the tomato is alright, Barry?" Rosemary touched her forth head, she was burning up.
 
“It just tomatoes stains nd did you see those license plates they were from a television show.  That was so cool, Rosemary?  The FBI or is it USDA...What do all those letters mean?"

“It scared me Barry. I don’t feel good.”
 
“It’s just make believe, just maybe we could be on a real life television program. They must be taping for the next series.”  Barry walked over to the tomato stains, “besides Rosemary, its just catsup.”
 
Barry took off his worn sneaker and stuff the seed packet into them, they covered the  big hole perfectly on the sole of the shoe. Barry was smiling from ear to ear at his new discovery seed packet supports. “Rosemary look!  It doesn’t hurt anymore.” Barry did the mash potato dance.
"Rosemary lets get going mother is waiting for us. It's already pass dinner hour."

Purchase Rum-Te-Tum-Tum Crunch...Kerplunk to find out what happens to my main characters Rosemary and Barry at https://www.rejoicewithin.com/store/p56/Rum-Te-Tum-Tum_Crunch%E2%80%A6Kerplunk.html Thank you for viewing.
 

Hello my name is Nickie Korpal. I want to tell you all about my new eBook I just release called Rum-Te-Tum-Tum Crunch…Kerplunk. It’s a fantasy novel all about the topic food. The good, the bad and the ugly. How do we as society think about food? Food can nourish us, we celebrate good times with it, it gives us good health but on the other hand it can causes allergies, addiction, illness or even death if we have it or not. What would happen if food was taken away? How would we survive? How does mass media relate to food? Do they show food as good or to scare us silly? So many questions and so many thoughts about something we all take for granted daily. FOOD! We all need food to survive. In my story Rum-Te-Tum-Tum Crunch…Kerplunk, I did a lot of research and found so may topics to discuss all about food. I believe I gained ten pounds as I wrote this novel. Thinking and writing about food can sure create appetite.  I cover all aspects about food as I relay this incredible story. My two main characters brother and sister Barry and Rosemary. I show how they dealt with having food daily to having none at all. Dealing with Rosemary food allergies and sensitivities. Looking at food addiction to anorexia. The main characters even go to another world where food is alive when you can pluck delicious cinnamon rolls from enormous licorice trees. A place that even if you are allergic to certain foods… you can eat there without any reaction. You will meet and talk to live gingerbreads, spices and even invited to an ice “cream” social.  Guess who is putting the party on but cows, pigs and chickens. You would not have a novel without lots of villains, I have a collection that would make anyone’s hair stands on ends like chow mien noodles. They are all doing anything and everything from taking food away, spreading poison on food or creating foods only seen in sci fiction magazines. It’s not until the children Barry and Rosemary must find a way to save the food globe and their own food back home. After reading Rum-Te-Tum-Tum Crunch…Kerplunk you will see all food in a whole different way. Bon Appetit and Good Reading.
Here is a scene from Rum-Te-Tum-Tum Crunch…Kerplunk.
Barry screamed, “RUN.” The children ran full force, when swiftly they noticed a big white something blocking their path.
 “Hurry Rosemary, climb onto that big white mountain ahead.”
 The children climb and climb, as they stopped at each tier, the army of beetles were coming closer and closer. The children were going higher and higher up the White Mountain, looking down they saw only the next tier.
Barry lost his balance, “This is scaring the jellybeans out of me.” he was holding onto the edge of the White Mountain onto an apple blossom two tiers down.
Rosemary climbed next to her brother, as she stepped onto the over piped borders of royal icing and reaching for the gum paste roses, she was just hanging, when a large hand pulled her up to the next tier. 
The white soft moist dirt was in her eyes. In addition, all she could say was, “Thanks.” 
Rosemary wiped the white soft moist dirt off her eyes.  Whoever helped her, was gone.  “Rosemary, help.   I cannot hold on anymore.”
Barry was hanging onto the frosty border of the mountain below.  He looked down at the beetles, coming up the first tier.
Quickly, Rosemary bent down from the third tier, to help pull her brother up. “Thanks sis.” Suddenly they looked down at the lower tiers as the beetles were crawling faster and faster up the White Mountain and eating and devouring everything in sight as they chased after the children.
Barry pulled his sister away from the edge, “Hurry Rosemary, let us get to the top. We sure cannot go down from this mountain. Only way out is up.”
They raced up the next tier, Barry climbed onto the gum paste that looked like a rose and small apple blossoms, “Rosemary these flowers are amazing. They are strong enough for us to climb on. Keep moving up.”  
The beetles were getting closer. The children could hear the crunching it was getting louder and louder.
“We are almost to the top.” Barry and Rosemary looked around they could see the whole food globe from up here. It was such a lovely view. Rosemary wanted a better view she backed into two figures standing motionless. “Excuse me.” Rosemary and Barry looked at the two statues one was dressed in a lovely white dress holding bouquet of flowers while the other was dress in a tuxedo. “Barry this isn’t a mountain, it’s a wedding cake.”
Rosemary had an idea, “Lets stand still. You act like a ring bearer and I will act like the flower girl.” The children stood like statues.  The head beetle came over, circled the bride and groom looked over the children and flew away. 

Both children smiled, they outsmarted that hungry beetle. Barry sigh as he spoke, “They have gone. They scared the jellybeans out of me.” Just as he said that, the head beetles circled again over head.
The beetle spoke with a high pitch tone causing Rosemary to cover her ears, the sound was deafening. “There you are, I found you, the new king will be happy.”
Suddenly the top of the cake was covered with the munching beetles, looking hungry as they eyed the children. 
The infestation of unloved bugs caused the bride and the groom statues to split. Both falling to different directions as the insects carried them away.
The perfect wedding cake was no more.  Rosemary and Barry held onto each other as the cake was being devoured and destroyed. No love just greed and betrayal has taken over.  
The beetles separated Rosemary from Barry. They had Rosemary surrounded, “I smell it on this one. Take her to our leader.”
 “HELP BARRY.”  Barry crawled from one last rose to the next, tripping and sliding on the icing, “Rosemary, I’m coming.” Rapidly a fleet of flying meal moths swooped down and swept Rosemary away.
“Help Barry, Help.”  Rosemary kicked and screamed, as she tried to free herself from those ugly moths.  Barry looked up and all he saw was the sky full of meal moths.  “Hold on Rosemary, I’m coming.”  
Barry had a problem, the beetles had him circled and there was no way to go. Barry looked at them in terror, the head beetle looked so hungry. 
Barry tried to get a hold of the mealy moth flying above. He reached up and grabbed one flying by…only he got bit by this nasty bug.
Swiftly a gang of flying meal moths picked Barry upholding him by his collar.   Barry was thinking, just maybe they would take him to Rosemary.’ 
Barry was up in the air when he saw Rosemary ahead through the marshmallow clouds.  “Rosemary I’m coming. It is scaring the jelly…. beans…...” 
Barry kept wiggling, instantly they dropped him. Barry screamed only thing was below was the remains of the destroyed wedding cake.  He fell down and down and he was caught by the head beetle.   
Barry thought this was the end, he was knee deep in ugly bugs that swarmed and wiggled around him. Like quicksand he was falling into a pit of bugs. ‘Help me someone!’ Barry tried to scream but all the hideous bugs covered him.

If you are interested in reading Rum-Te-Tum-Tum Crunch…Kerplunk purchase it at Click Here.

Thank you for viewing. Check out more of my eBooks at rejoicewithin.com

Bulimia Nervosa
–Weight varies usually normal weight or overweight
–Binges by eating large amounts of food in a short period of time, then purges by vomiting and or abusing laxatives. Cycle of binging and purging according to National Eating Disorders Assoc.
–Obsessed with weight and appearance
–Changes in weight, ulcers, sores in the mouth, sore throat, dehydration, dental problems, weakness, fatigue
–Depression, anxiety, feelings of guilt, self destructive behavior.

Anorexia
–Underweight BMI or less than 17.5%
–Takes few calories, may eat only a limited variety of foods Believe they are fat even when they are underweight. Obsessed with weight and appearance
–Extreme weight loss, low blood pressure, heart problems, kidney problems, hair loss, weakness, fatigue, nutritional deficiencies, cessation of menstruation
–Depression, anxiety, obsessive compulsive behaviors, denial that there is a problem, feat of gaining weight.
–Withdrawn, may refuse to eat in front of others.
–Not taken care of leads to heart attack to death
–WARNING SIGNS: excess rigid exercise regimen, dramatic weight loss, withdrawal from usual friends and activities, avoid mealtimes, frequent comments about feeing “fat”

Binge Eating Disorders
–Usually overweight
–They don’t  usually purge after eating.
–Find comfort in food and react positively to enjoyable tastes or the physical feelings of fullness. Bings by eating large amount of food in a short period of time, may  restrict food in between binges. History of weight stigma
–Maybe overly focused on weight and appearance
–Excessive  weight gain, high blood pressure, diabetes, joint pain, fatigue
–Depression, feelings of guilt or self hatred. In such cases people have low self esteem that they simply think they lack the control to be discerning about what they eat, so they overly indulge at all times.
–Childhood trauma (abuse. Neglect, ect…)
–Maybe withdrawn, may seem overly sensitive

Other Specified Feeding or Eating Disorder (OSFED)
They don’t meet all the requirements or specific diagnoses. From restricting all foods to very special foods, amounts of food or binging in nontraditional ways. OSFED is the umbrella for any unnamed cases of disrupted eating.

When I wrote Deceptions of Lovely the Echo my intention was to show how having food disorder issues effected me. It was all a mind game seeing my body as not measuring up. The little voice inside of my head kept ringing in my ears. "Too fat...too ugly...need to lose weight so others will you..!" It wasn't until I fainted in school because of not eating. It was a wake up call for me. Always been a HSP (highly sensitive person with lots of allergies and sensitivities. I had issues eating for fear of reactions. So, I would prefer not eating.  After my fainting spell, I found help. They helped me find myself and learn to accept myself as me. That lead me to write One of a Kind.  Even today it's a daily struggle. It's a work in process.  I hope you would get the chance to read Deceptions of Lovely the Echo.  Food disorders isn't something to play around with. If you or a love one has food issues please seek help and talk to your medical provider they would guide you for assistant you need.

How to Get Help With Eating Disorders

• Talk to Someone you Trust in the Medical Field they will lead you to help immediately. 
  
• Remember food disorders isn't something you can heal yourself.
  
• Seek treatment and join support groups through organizations like ANAD (National Assoc. of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders), they can help with recovery and help you to a healthy and productive life. I can even assist if you just need someone to talk too. I cannot help with food disorders. While you are on the path to healing I can be there for you. Contact me at rejoicewithin@outlook.com. I have a background as a Christian Life Coach and Assertiveness Trainer. Peace, Hope and Love Dear Friend.
  

Here is my new release for middle readers a fiction eBook called  Clear the Front Row. Here is a synopsis of Clear the Front Row.
What goes through your mind, when you must make a speech? Do you think, great I cannot wait; I love making speeches?  On the other hand, are you the opposite, fear sets in, nausea, a queasy stomach and the need to vomit comes to mind? The latter is what happens to the main character Tiffany last year in Clear the Front Row.  Tiffany tries to forget that day but when her teacher assigns to the class they need to make a speak or not go to art museum. Tiffany devastated. She so wants to go to the art museum, but a fear of last year makes her nauseous just thinking about it. Her family and friends tries to help, by giving Tiffany their own good luck charms to give Tiffany courage. Tiffany by Monday morning  has collected an assortment of good luck charms  they consist of; stinky socks, red boa, petite tutu, worn baseball cap, rip sweatshirt, etc... Will they help out or will the past repeat itself again for Tiffany? CLEAR THE FRONT ROW.  Find out and read Clear the Front Row a great read for middle readers or any age. It's full of family bond, friendship, and learning to face your fears head on.  Purchase Click Here
 

•Anorexia 3rd most common chronic illness amount adolescent. Now seen in elderly.
•Bing Eaters
•Bulimia
•Obesity
•Eating disorders are serious emotional and physical problems that can be life-threatening.
• Highest mortality rate of any mental illness.
•Only 1 to 10 people with eating disorders receive treatment.
• Health insurance companies do not typically cover the cost of treating eating disorders.
•10 million women and one million men have eating disorder such as anorexia or bulimia
•Eating disorders are the DEADLIEST Mental Illnesses
•Top three chronic illnesses in Adolescent Girls: 1 Asthma 2 Obesity   3 Anorexia
•One-Half of fourth grade girls are on a diet
•Its not just the young but  older seniors having eating disorders.  Research has shown a numerous up swing of food disorders in the elderly.
•In a study by ANAD, 86% of participants reported the onset of their eating disorder occurred at age of 20 but only 50% reported being cured.
•Connection is not solely a genetic one, as previously thought. Research shows it is the interaction between the genes and the environment.
•It is very important to remember that eating disorders are not just extreme diets.  People who have eating disorders often cannot see that what they are doing is atypical, or may feel completely unable to stop.
•In some cases people with anorexia may want to eat regularly but their mental condition makes it impossible for them to physically force themselves to ingest food. Eating disorders must be taken seriously and treated with compassion in order to protect your loved ones.
SOURCE: South Carolina Dept. of Mental Health

When I wrote Deceptions of Lovely the Echo my intention was to show how having food disorder issues effected me. It was all a mind game seeing my body as not measuring up. The little voice inside of my head kept ringing in my ears. "Too fat...too ugly...need to lose weight so others will you..!" It wasn't until I fainted in school because of not eating. It was a wake up call for me. Always been a HSP (highly sensitive person with lots of allergies and sensitivities. I had issues eating for fear of reactions. So, I would prefer not eating.  After my fainting spell, I found help. They helped me find myself and learn to accept myself as me. That lead me to write One of a Kind.  Even today it's a daily struggle. It's a work in process.  I hope you would get the chance to read Deceptions of Lovely the Echo.  Food disorders isn't something to play around with. If you or a love one has food issues please seek help and talk to your medical provider they would guide you for assistant you need.
How to Get Help With Eating Disorders

• Talk to Someone you Trust in the Medical Field they will lead you to help immediately. 
• Remember food disorders isn't something you can heal yourself.
• Seek treatment and join support groups through organizations like ANAD (National Assoc. of Anorexia Nervosa and Associated Disorders), they can help with recovery and help you to a healthy and productive life.
  
• I can even assist if you just need someone to talk too. I cannot help with food disorders but while you are on the path to healing... I can be there for you. Contact me at rejoicewithin@outlook.com. I have a background as a Christian Life Coach and Assertiveness Trainer.  Peace, Hope and Love Dear Friend.