“Hello, Jimmy Fincher,” the girl said, her voice like ringing crystal.

“Uh … hi,” I said, scrambling to sit up straighter. “I haven't seen you in a long time.” I looked at Farmer. “What are you guys doing here? I thought …” I didn't know really what I thought. But it just seemed wrong that they were here. Before, I'd only seen them through the doors or inside the Stompers’ realm.

“There's a very important reason we're here,” said Farmer. “We have a lot to talk about.”

“Why? I know we still need to wake up in the real world. What else are you going to pull on me?”

“Don't worry, you've saved your world, Jimmy. The Stompers are gone, back through the Black Curtain. The Shadow Ka, too. People are waking up all over your planet, already beginning to put their lives back together.”

“Then what's the problem?”

Farmer sighed, and sat back onto thin air—his magical chair.

“Jimmy,” he said. “I've dreaded this part from the very beginning.”

“Dreaded what?”

A frown like I'd never seen creased Farmer's face.

“Asking you to never go home again. At least not for a very long time.”

Farmer took a deep breath and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees.

“This is going to be hard for you, Fincher family. But please hear me out, and don't interrupt. Agreed?”

Mom and Dad nodded, and Rusty did nothing. “Get on with it,” I said, dreading what he was about to say.

Farmer's eyes watered as he looked at each member of my family. Then he focused on me.

“Jimmy, it's time for your family to wake up and get on with building their lives again. But we need you to come with us back into the Blackness.”

“What?” my mom and dad asked at the same time.

“Yes,” Farmer said. “Yours is not the only world that needs saving.”

The next few moments were filled with tension. My mom and dad were furious, and Farmer was left defending his request.

“He is part of a greater plan,” he said, pleading. “The Four Gifts can never be repeated. Especially the Fourth, the Power. If Jimmy does not come with us and help us free the others one by one—they will live the rest of their lives in the living nightmares that you know all too well.”

“There is no way …” Mom started again. Arguments blew up all around, but my mind focused in on what Farmer was asking. He wanted me to stay with him and help free other worlds from the nightmares of the Stompers. He wanted me to leave my real body asleep while I traveled with him back into the Blackness. He was asking me to sacrifice everything, fully and truly. And yet, I knew he was right.

“Please, listen,” Farmer pleaded, raising his hands to stop the arguments. Everyone quieted to hear him out. “This is your choice—his choice. I am only asking. No, I am begging. Even if it's only for your world's sake, you must do this. If they are not conquered and eliminated, they will only figure out another way to come back. They don't stop. They never stop. They will do anything to grow and survive.”

“But …” started Dad, and then everything exploded into arguments again.

“Stop.” I stood, my muscles aching. “Mom, Dad—I have to do this.” My mind was made up—not because it was easy or I thought I was some great hero. But I had just witnessed the full and terrible reaches of the Stompers. How could I live the rest of my life knowing that I hadn't at least tried to save others? It was the right choice—the only choice.

“Jimmy,” Rusty said, “you can't do this!”

“No … no.” I held my hands up, shaking my head. “I'll never understand this whole Yumeka thing, but I know that everything I've learned in this life is in thanks to my mom and dad.” I looked at them. “After all that you've taught me, how could I not do this?”

There was more arguing, more pleading, more discussion, more tears.

But the decision was final. Instead of returning to my body, sleeping somewhere in the real world, I was going back into the Blackness to fight the Stompers.

Over and over again.