Storms in Africa

Battle Cry

Jackie stepped towards the two men with wide eyes. 

She could not believe what she was seeing and had no idea what was going on.

"How can there be two Jeremys?" she cried out. "Of all the ways to ruin a wedding, this has got to be the most creative. Two Jeremys!" 

"No, Jackie. Just one Jeremy" said Paul. 

"And only one" the real Jeremy finished. 

"Then who's the real Jeremy?" said Jackie. 

Paul lowered his head and stepped back. 

"I'm the real Jeremy. And I can't believe you would even want to see me again" said Jeremy. 

"Then... all this time, I was marrying an imposter?" said Jackie.

"He's no imposter, Jackie. He's my family" said Jeremy defiantly. 

Jackie looked at Paul. "Who are you?" 

"I'm Jeremy's cousin. Paul Drayton."

"But you look exactly alike. It's impossible" said Jackie.

"Well, it's the truth" said Jeremy. 

Just then, the IT's voice roared out.

"Did I hear 'truth'?" it said. 

The Warriors entered. "IT!" they said in unison.

"Well, well. The Three Warriors. You're far more persistent than I imagined" said the IT.

"Don't think that just because you kidnap our companion, we're powerless" said Sam.

"And further, don't you dare think I'm going to let my ex-girlfriend marry my cousin!" said Jeremy.

"Jeremy Clyde" the IT grumbled. "The one man I hoped would never get here."

"You're not getting rid of me that easily! You got me pregnant!" Jeremy shouted. 

"Indeed. In hopes that it would make you too fearful to come here" said the IT. "Still, your cousin was too soft to continue his charade as you, so I needed to take extreme measures."

"Then you kept her from listening when Paul tried to confess!" said Sam.

"Very good. And as the Drayton boy continues his dishonesty, I continue to prevail. And my cave grows stronger" said the IT.

"It's too late now, IT!" said Dorcas. "Jackie knows who Paul is now."

"Ahh, but what about the Clyde boy? What are his true feelings for the girl? His cousin was obviously pretending" said the IT. "And it's too late for that too. He'd best stop immediately."

Now Jeremy was furious. "No! I won't stop! For every minute of my life, I'll fight for my cousin! I will never stop trying to rescue him!"

"Very well" said the IT.

Just then, one of the IT's black tentacles broke through one of the chapel's windows and reached out to grab Jeremy. 

"No!" Dorcas screamed.

She ran in front of Jeremy and the tentacle grabbed her instead.

The IT threw Dorcas against the wall and dropped her.

Then it broke the wall and let it collapse on top of her. 

"Dorcas!" Jackie sobbed. 

The Three Warriors removed the destroyed wall from Dorcas's body and inspected her. 

Gayle and Jackie joined them. 

"Sacrifice. Wretched sacrifice!" the IT snarled.

Just then, Jeremy gasped in pain and collapsed.

"Cousin!" Paul gasped.