The Gardener

this time i saved a cat that looked like nibbles and there’s this old man called “The Gardener” and he’s basically the gatekeeper

do you make it out?

yeah i do
i think i do every time but i don’t remember
but he saw me carrying the cat
and he told me that she’s the one thing that has to stay there
because it’s her home and she’ll be fine
he wears this weird mask so it’s muffled when he talks
and he just gardens
even though there’s demodogs underneath his house
it’s really weird

i wonder why you had this


me too
im trying to figure out what it means
but it’s hella scary
im also like slightly afraid of big dogs biting me so that doesn’t help
even though i love big dogs

when you reach the garden
did he tell you that you could come in


it doesn’t seem like im not allowed to roam
he kinda just minds his own business
the entrance to the mineshaft kind of area is in the shed
but the shed is also some kind of house someone lives in
maybe his
so there’s the cat and two dogs
the gardener just gardens
i know i’ve had this dream at least one other time
cause im specifically trying to save something different

do you remember what you saved last time?


i think i saved one dog and a few people
im not sure if the cat was okay but i know one of the dogs didnt make it

was this the first time he said the cat had to stay?

yeah
it sounded and looked like my cat
the way out of the mineshaft with the demodogs is a rickety swing that you pull yourself out of
seems very symbolic
its dark and it’s cold
but above ground it was raining and the house is painted yellow with flowers everywhere
and the grass is very lush

so you were able to get yourself out of that shaft huh?

mhmm

when was the last time you had this dream?

not sure.. feels recent though
im wondering if it was the nightmare i had where i didn’t remember it
the one the other day

but it’s the first time you met the man?

yeah
like the first time me and the people in the dream
we’re just trying to save everything
but something fell and the dogs came
but this time we were more careful and everything was still asleep
the dream doesn’t explain why we’re there or why we’re doing that though

they usually never do

but fear is deeply rooted in this


and the fact that you’re trying to save everything


but in the end it’s saving yourself that matters


the cat will be okay


and you will be okay too


as long as you’re able to reach where you’re supposed to go


maybe the garden represents new life

and you have to leave the things you have no control over


and have faith that they will be okay


the gardener was this rough character but his words felt tender


because whatever you find there


might be the very thing you need


but you must go through this process on your own


nobody else can go here but you 


that dark place you once feared


im sure you need to make peace with it


or else it will eventually catch up to you like those hounds