Farmer stood and paced in circles around me as he spoke for the next few minutes, hands clasped behind his dirty overalls.

“When you blocked the Black Curtain, you merely delayed the inevitable, I am sorry to say. The world was already filled with thousands of Shadow Ka, far more than we had imagined, scattered throughout the earth like the pestilence they are. They had almost been ready to bring in the Stompers, but you prevented it from happening. At least for a time.

“That Blocking has weakened considerably. I have sensed several Rippings in the Curtain in the last few days, and the Stompers are pouring through them at a frightening rate. It is only a matter of weeks, perhaps months, before they rip the Curtain at will and come forth with all their might and malice. That will be a terrible day, and we must hasten our efforts to endow you with the Fourth Gift.”

Farmer had not really said many words yet, but the amount of information contained within them was too much to compute. I didn't know what to ask first, but I had to say something.

“You mean … are you telling me that there are already Stompers on the earth?”

“Yes. Not many, not a fraction of what is coming, but yes, they have arrived.”

“Okay, then, I think I am finally ready to know what they are.”

“You think you are ready, but I have my doubts. I have worried about this day for a long time. For a very long time.”

“Please, Farmer, tell me.”

He put his hands into his denim pockets and let out a sigh.

“All right, Jimmy. I will tell you.” Another pause. “The Stompers are your worst nightmares.”

Frustration filled me. “I know, I know—that is all I hear about them! They are scary, they are horrible, they are worse than anything I can imagine. Just tell me what they are, please!”

Farmer looked disappointed in me, but then his expression transformed into a sad understanding.

“No, Jimmy, you are not hearing my words. I am not speaking in metaphors—there is no time for that now.”

“What … what do you mean?”

“The Stompers are your worst nightmares.”