Dream interpretation help!

I had a crazy dream, which is weird because I never remember my dreams. I can remember 3 dreams I've ever had in my life and the previous 2 we're only because I was taking a smoking cessation drug that was prescribed by my doctor. Last night I hadn't taken anything and I have not in years. Any help interpreting this would be greatly appreciated.

I dreamt I was being kept hostage on this weird property for a long time. It felt like I had been kept there for years. I wasn't held at gunpoint or anything, but I had this understanding that if I left I would be killed by this young girl (early 20's) and this other unknown entity that later turned out to be a dog, but I didn't find that out until the end of the dream. Somehow I got my cellphone and texted my dad that I was being held at the "old farm" and it was dangerous. 3 people showed up but I only recognized one of them as a high school friend that I haven't talked to or seen for like 8 years. The two unknown people were killed by the girl, and then my high school friend said he would fight the unknown thing if I fought the girl. The girl and I fought into this weird trailer (very similar or the one I grew up in). I thought I had to fight her off and maybe knock her out to leave but we got into this dark room and she ended up stabbing me in the stomach with this crazy dagger. I remember then I realized I had to kill her too, so I spun her around and grabbed this flimsy tube (almost like a small hose) and stabbed her from her armpit all the way through into her chest and where her heart would be. After that I remember me and the girl suddenly being outside standing up watching my high school friend and the dog (this was the first time I saw it) fighting. The girl and I were both bleeding and dying, but we were oddly calm standing there watching the fight. The dog was black and huge, like 10 times the size of a normal dog. I remember the fight going badly for my friend, and I suddenly realized that if I didn't die from the stab, once the dog killed my friend it would definitely kill me so I had to help. I was able to run into the fight and grab and pin the dog down. It was huge compared to me, but somehow I was able to keep it pinned. My friend asked me what to do, and I told him I would hold it but he would have to kill it. I said stab it like 5 times and he kept saying I don't have anything to stab it with. I told him very calmly to go to the kitchen, grab a knife, and stab it. He did what I said. As the dog was stabbed it suddenly shrank and turned into my black lab and then I woke up. I didn't wake up like it was a nightmare, but like it was something that just happened.

Although in order to provide a more accurate interpretation it would usually be best to have some additional general background information about you (and a description of events just before the dream), it looks like either a recent incident stirred up some kind of inner conflict, or it’s been building up for a while and the dream is showing how badly it could end up affecting you if it isn’t looked after.

The weird property and trailer probably symbolize an attitude or way of acting etc. that is tending to “hold you hostage” and to slow down your overall self-development in some way.

If so, it’s true that trying to “escape” would likely stir up some upsetting feelings and emotions (e.g. the girl and the dog could “kill” you; that is, make you “totally unconscious” because of certain strong emotional states etc.).

It looks like some pressures while growing up as represented by the trailer could be the cause of what the dream is trying to show you.

A girl in the dreams of a guy usually stands for his emotional and values side. This idea is supported in your dream because you later stab the girl “where her heart would be”.

So if the girl in your dream is “holding you hostage” and later stabs you in the stomach with a dagger, this could show that some negative “I’m no good” feelings could be going on “in your gut” too much of the time.

It could also be that certain usual ways of handling this situation (as represented by your dad) might tend to “send you” some habits from the past (i.e. probably all of the guys who arrive are meant to be high school friends) that might not be very helpful.

For example, the girl makes short work of two of the guys who came to help. Not knowing them means that sometimes you’re mostly unaware of how certain ideas and beliefs etc. are tending to operate inside you, and the dream seems to be emphasizing that they don’t work very well anyway.

You could see what stands out about the friend you haven’t talked to for many years in order to find out what he stands for in the dream.

But an overall clue about what he represents and what’s going on in general might be that you and the guys are hell bent on killing the girl and the giant dog without even considering other options.

Symbolically, this is the same thing as the girl could do to you.

That is, you probably understandably (but unconsciously) want a feeling of a hindrance etc., whatever it is, to “go away” and for you to be able to remain “totally unaware” of it (i.e. you want it “dead”).

The problem is that this would also mean “killing” your whole instinctive side in the form of the angry giant dog.

This includes a whole range of natural instinctive reactions, strong emotions, vague feelings, intuitions and even cold thoughts and actions that are sometimes needed to defend ourselves in certain situations (just like a quiet mother bear etc. will suddenly turn very savage if her cubs are in danger).

By having the giant dog turn into your black lab after it’s killed is probably meant to show that instead, this side of you should be “loved” and “cared for”, just like you care for your dog.

If anything about this interpretation seems to make sense, you might like to read “Nothing's Wrong: A Man's Guide to Managing His Feelings” by David Kundtz, and “Emotion: A Very Short Introduction” by Dylan Evans.

Anyway as mentioned, without knowing anything much about you, this way of looking at your dream might not fit your personal circumstances very well, but I hope that these ideas can be helpful in some way.

In any case, all your comments or questions about this interpretation are very welcome.

Wow thank you so much. As I read your interpretation I realized that 99% of what you said applies. I can't believe how spot on you were. Thank you so much!