The cold night air cut through the narrow alleyways like a blade. The wet cobblestones reflected the faint glow of the street lamps, their light barely piercing the darkness. A solitary figure stumbled through the shadows, his footsteps echoing off the walls of the grimy alley.

Kai, an 18-year-old boy, was no stranger to the streets. He had lived in this cold, unforgiving world for as long as he could remember. His clothes were torn, his coat ragged, the fabric thin against the biting chill. He walked with his head down, his thin frame hunched against the wind. His stomach ached with hunger, but there was nothing to do but keep walking.

Life on the streets had taught him many lessons. He had learned to ignore the stares of others, the whispers behind his back, and the aching loneliness that came with being invisible in a world that didn’t care.

For years, he had dreamed of something better. He used to imagine someone taking him in, offering him warmth, food, and care, but those dreams had long since turned to dust. Now, all he had was the darkness, the cold, and the endless nights spent alone.

Kai paused for a moment, gazing up at the sky. The moon was full tonight, casting a silvery glow over the city. He remembered being a child, staring at that very moon. He had always thought he saw a figure there, a man standing on the surface of the moon, waving down at him.

The man had always smiled, as if trying to comfort him. “You’re not alone,” he’d thought. “Someone is watching over you.” But that had been years ago. The man never appeared again. The moon felt empty now, just like Kai.

As Kai walked, lost in thought, a voice suddenly whispered through the air. “Kai... can you hear me?” Kai froze, his heart leaping into his throat. The voice wasn’t loud, barely a whisper, but it was unmistakable. He looked around, his eyes wide, searching the shadows. No one.

The wind rustled, and the voice came again, this time clearer, more direct. “If you see a mafia boss, don’t get comfortable. He hides something that you’ll never want to know.” A shiver ran down Kai’s spine. Was it a warning? Or just a trick of his mind?

Just then, a figure appeared in the alley, shimmering like a mirage. The ghostly figure of a woman materialized in front of him, pale and translucent, with eyes that seemed to pierce into his very soul.

“You... should leave now,” she murmured, her voice soft but insistent. Before Kai could speak or react, she vanished, fading into the air like smoke. Shaking his head, trying to clear his thoughts, Kai continued walking. He needed to find shelter, anything to escape the cold. But something felt different tonight—like the city itself was holding its breath, waiting for something to happen.

Then, out of the corner of his eye, he saw him.

A tall, imposing figure stood under a dim streetlamp. The man’s silhouette was partially obscured by the shadows, but his presence was undeniable. The mafia boss.

Kai hesitated, his instincts telling him to walk away, but curiosity got the better of him. He took a tentative step forward, his heart pounding in his chest.The mafia boss turned to face him, and Kai felt a chill run through him. The man was dressed in a tailored black suit, his expression unreadable. But it was his eyes that caught Kai off guard. There was a flicker of something deep in them, something strange, almost unnatural.

You’re alone, aren’t you?” the mafia boss asked, his voice smooth and deep. Kai’s throat tightened. He had never seen this man before, yet the words felt personal. He nodded silently.

“I can offer you something more than this.” The mafia boss gestured to the alley, to the world Kai had known. “A home. A place to belong. Something others would never give you.”

Kai’s breath caught in his throat. The offer was tempting—too tempting—but the ghost’s warning echoed in his mind. Don’t get comfortable.

Before Kai could respond, the mafia boss took a step closer, his presence overwhelming.

“You don’t have to be alone anymore,” the mafia boss whispered, his voice almost tender, but there was a dangerous edge to it. “You’ll come with me. I’ll show you a life you’ve never dreamed of.”Kai felt the weight of the offer pressing down on him. For the first time in years, someone was offering him a chance at something different. But at what cost?

Just as the mafia boss turned away, Kai noticed something strange—a small rag doll lying on the ground a few feet away. It was tattered and worn, its fabric faded with age. But when Kai looked closer, the doll moved. The small figure twitched, and then, impossibly, it turned its head to face him.

The doll’s eyes were nothing more than buttons, dark and lifeless. Yet, in that moment, they seemed to hold something—something far darker than anything Kai could have imagined.

The doll whispered, so softly that Kai could barely hear it.“Don’t trust him... not yet...” Kai’s heart skipped a beat. He didn’t know why, but he felt that the doll’s warning was real. Something about the mafia boss felt wrong, and Kai couldn’t shake the feeling that this encounter was more dangerous than he realized.

Before he could process what had just happened, the doll vanished, leaving only the silence behind.

Kai turned back to the mafia boss, who was now looking at him with those cold, glowing eyes—eyes that shone a deep red. His expression had changed, becoming colder, darker. His earlier gentleness was gone, replaced with something far more dangerous.

“You’ll come with me,” the mafia boss said, his voice low and menacing. “Everyone does, eventually.”

Kai felt a wave of fear wash over him. This man was not what he appeared to be. But there was no turning back now. He was trapped in this strange, dark world, and he didn’t know how to escape.

With a sudden surge of instinct, Kai turned and ran, his footsteps pounding against the wet pavement. He didn’t look back, but he knew that the mafia boss’s red eyes were burned into his memory.

Kai’s heartbeat roared in his ears as he ran. His breath came in ragged gasps, the cold air slicing through his lungs like a blade. The city blurred past him—dark alleys twisting like veins, shadows clawing at his feet.

He didn’t dare look back.

But he could feel it. The presence. The burning red eyes carved into his memory like a curse.

Then—arms.

Strong. Unyielding. They wrapped around his waist from behind, locking him in place.

Thick. Overwhelming.

His struggles weakened. The world tilted, colors fading into smears of darkness. His limbs felt heavy, useless.

His vision blurred, and the last thing he felt was the warmth of the person holding him—steady, possessive—before everything turned black.

2 hours later

And then

A soft, silken warmth pressed against Kai’s skin. The scent of roses and something faintly sweet hung in the air, unlike anything he had ever known. It was comforting—yet suffocating.

His eyelids fluttered open.

For a moment, his mind was blank. No cold. No hunger. No wet cobblestones beneath him. Only warmth.

The bed beneath him was enormous, covered in black silk sheets that shimmered under the soft glow of a chandelier. Gold-trimmed walls towered around him, adorned with delicate carvings of dragons woven into the design. Heavy velvet curtains draped over tall windows, blocking out the outside world.

Kai’s fingers dug into the fabric of his clothes. His rags were gone. In their place, he wore an expensive black tunic with silver embroidery and fitted pants that felt too smooth against his skin.

Then—panic.

He swung his legs off the bed, his bare feet sinking into the thick carpet. Everything felt too soft. Too perfect. Too unreal.

"What the hell…?"

He swung his legs off the bed, his bare feet sinking into the thick carpet. Everything felt too soft. Too perfect. Too unreal.

"This has to be a dream."

But the sting of cold metal against his wrist told him otherwise.

Kai’s breath hitched as he noticed it—a thin, silver bracelet locked around his wrist. The metal was smooth, engraved with strange symbols that glowed faintly in the dim light.

A shiver crawled down his spine. This wasn’t just jewelry. This was a cage.

"No, no, no—"

He rushed to the door and gripped the handle. Twisted. Pulled.

Locked.

His stomach twisted. A caged bird in a gilded room.

Then—a noise.

Soft footsteps echoed beyond the door. Slow. Measured.

Someone was coming.

Kai backed away, his breath shallow, his pulse roaring in his ears. Every instinct screamed at him to run.

But he was about to find out who had taken him. And why.

Kai's heart raced as the footsteps grew louder. His body tensed, muscles coiling with the instinct to flee. His mind was a whirlwind of questions, but no answers came. Who was this person? Why had they brought him here?

To be continued.

Hope you guys like the story

Kai’s mind raced as he heard approaching footsteps. Panic surged through him—who was coming? Was it the mafia boss?

Frantically, he looked around the massive room. His eyes landed on a grand wooden bookshelf in the corner, its towering shelves packed with books. Without thinking, he rushed toward it, desperate for a place to hide.

But as he reached the shelves, he noticed something unexpected—a book stood out among the rest.

The cover was old and slightly dusty, yet something about it drew him in. The title, written in elegant golden letters, read: Mushrooms. It felt strange to find a book like this in such a luxurious place, but his curiosity got the best of him.

Kai hesitated for a moment before pulling it from the shelf. As soon as he flipped it open, a chilling sensation washed over him—as if the book held secrets meant to be uncovered.

He skimmed through the pages, his eyes widening at the strange fungi descriptions:

• The Fungi Crswpite: A large, attention-seeking mushroom that avoided other groups. Harvesting it was difficult due to its unpredictable spore release. “Be cautious—this fungus thrives in solitude and rejects company.”

• The Fungi Belussa: A pink mushroom that always grew in pairs. “Do not touch its juice,” the book warned. “Even the slightest contact can cause hallucinations, trapping one in a dreamlike state for days.”

• The Fungi Pavia Mushroom: Known for its dotted pattern, it grew in sets of three. "A popular delicacy in the village of Rosedale, yet also a deadly poison if not prepared correctly."

• The Fungi Spritate: A wide mushroom with faded colors and a spiral pattern on its cap. It only grew in sets of three and was nearly impossible to find.

• Champignons Fry: A mushroom with medicinal properties. When heated, it turned pink, signaling that it was ready to use. The book recommended pairing it with cream, vegetables, bread, mayonnaise, soy sauce, and garlic powder for a delicious sauce. “Highly recommended with pasta,” it added.

Kai’s stomach growled at the mention of food, but before he could read further—

Kai froze, his breath hitching. His entire body tensed, but he did not turn around. He could feel the presence of someone behind him, the air suddenly thick with tension.

Before he could even process what was happening, the person behind him pulled a book from the shelf.

A deep clicking sound echoed in the room.

Without warning, the bookshelf shifted, revealing a hidden passage.

Before Kai could move, strong hands shoved him forward. His body lurched as he stumbled straight into darkness.

He barely had time to scream before the floor beneath him vanished, sending him plummeting down into the unknown.

Thud!

Kai hit the ground hard, the impact leaving him breathless. His vision blurred as he struggled to push himself up.

And then—he looked up.

A figure loomed over him, half-hidden in the shadows. But one thing was unmistakable.

Those eyes.

The same bloodshot red eyes from before.

They glowed ominously in the dim light, burning into him like embers from a dying fire.

Kai’s heart pounded.

He wasn’t alone.

To be continued