Plant story - HSC2

Title: The Garden That Ate My Dreams

Author: Rajiv Mehra

Genre: Horror / Dreamscape

Length: Short story ( chapter 1 - 5 )

Chapter 1: The Garden Awakens

Arjun inherited the estate from his grandmother, an old house surrounded by a sprawling, untamed garden. On the first day, he noticed something odd: flowers with petals black as midnight, leaves that shimmered faintly as if wet with dew under a sunless sky. At night, he would hear whispers - soft, melodic, calling his name.

The first dream came within days. He was walking the garden, but the paths twisted unnaturally. Flowers bent toward him, petals opening into eyes. Vines snaked out like hands, brushing against his ankles. A voice hissed, “Stay… we will keep you safe.” Arjun awoke in a cold sweat, certain he felt a brush of leaves on his arm.

Chapter 2: The Shifting Paths

Sleep became a prison. Each night, the garden grew larger in his dreams, expanding beyond the boundaries of reality. Paths twisted like ribbons, hedges moved when he looked away, and flowers bloomed instantly wherever he stepped.

By the third night, he noticed the whispers were forming words - memories, regrets, and fears he had buried deep inside. Faces appeared in the shadows: childhood friends, lost loved ones, even strangers. Each face smiled before dissolving into vines that tried to entangle him.

One night, he tried to run, but every path led back to the same black-flowered heart of the garden. He realized the garden was sentient, reshaping itself to trap him. The whispers promised safety, but the glint of glowing eyes in the flowers told him otherwise.

Chapter 3: The Garden Hunts

Arjun awoke with scratches on his arms. Soil was under his fingernails. The garden was no longer confined to dreams. Vines appeared along the walls of his room, creeping silently, curling toward him with purpose.

He tried leaving the estate, but the gates seemed farther each time. The trees blocked his path, leaves forming walls, shadows crawling across the ground like hands. He stumbled through a hedge maze that grew taller and darker with each step. The whispering followed him, chanting, calling his name, mocking his attempts to escape.

A vine lunged at him from the ground, wrapping around his ankle. Heart pounding, he pulled and kicked, but the garden was patient. It wanted him entirely.

Chapter 4: The Endless Night

Sleep offered no reprieve. Every dream was a trap within a trap. Arjun fell into the garden each night, deeper than before. Flowers with teeth gnashed silently, vines lashed at him, shadows whispered secrets that made his blood run cold.

He tried hiding in a grove of black-leafed trees, but the soil itself moved, swallowing his feet. Every time he tried to wake, the world shimmered unnaturally, leaving him suspended between dream and reality. The garden had become infinite, a labyrinth without end.

He shouted, but his voice was absorbed by the leaves. He clawed at the ground, attempting to wake, to escape. Every time, the glowing eyes followed, unblinking, patient, hungry.

Chapter 5: The Garden’s Claim

One night—or maybe day, Arjun couldn’t tell—the garden spoke clearly. “You are ours now.” Vines coiled around him, lifting him toward a heart of black flowers. He struggled, clawing at the petals, but the soil pulled him down. Roots entwined his arms and legs, and petals brushed his cheeks like cold lips.

He tried to scream, but the garden swallowed his voice. The whispers became laughter, and then silence.

When morning came, the estate seemed peaceful. Sunlight kissed the untamed grass. Neighbors saw the garden swaying gently. Nothing appeared out of place. But those who dared walk by at night claim they hear faint whispers carried on the wind.

Some say Arjun’s voice still drifts through the garden, trapped between dream and reality, calling to anyone curious - or foolish - enough to enter. And the flowers? They bloom brighter at night, hungry for new company.

Frequency Asked Questions 

1. Is the garden real or purely a dream?

It’s a supernatural blend of both - a sentient, eternal garden that traps its victims in dreamlike states.

2. Did Arjun survive?

His fate is ambiguous. He exists in a liminal space, caught between reality and the dream garden.

3. Why does the garden call him by name?

It feeds on identity, fear, and consciousness, making each victim feel personally hunted.

4. Are the nightly horrors literal or symbolic?

Both. They represent inner fears and regrets while functioning as literal threats in the story’s supernatural logic.

5. What is the story’s ultimate message?

Obsession, curiosity, and the inability to heed warnings can pull you into places - and dreams - you may never escape.

Share Your Plant Story

Every plant has a story — and so do you! 💚

Was your plant a special gift? A favorite companion?

Maybe it survived something surprising, or brightened your day in an unexpected way.

Tell us about your experience — it could be anything:

🌿 A funny incident with your plant

🌸 A dream or memory connected to it

🌼 How it was gifted or found

🌳 The love and care you give every day

🌻 Or simply why it’s your favorite!

Share your story

We’ll feature beautiful, inspiring, or heartfelt stories on our AlokaExplorer Plant Blog, where plant lovers come together to share their little green journeys. 🌿

Share your thoughts 

What did you think of this spooky, dreamy story? Did it feel mysterious, a little scary, or just strange? How did the plant and its whispering make you feel? Share your thoughts and favorite parts in the comments below—we’d love to hear from you!