“Mom! I’m out again, I need another roll!” Drake’s voice carried quite nicely from his doorway, down the hall, down the stairs to his mothers ear.

She sighed audibly, even from such a distance then replied, “Then come get some!”

Get had some extra spin on it so he knew she was annoyed. He half chuckled, let it be. He might be the one leaving for college, but she’s surely the one who was stressed out.

He closed the next box sans tape and did a looping dummy check around his room. He knew for a fact he was missing a half dozen important things for starters but—hey, it was only a six hour flight away.

His ass hitting the bed sent his phone, perched on the far side, hurling into the air like an acrobat. Without a net he supposed, as it clattered to the floor.

Drake stretched up then down to grab it, spying something interesting under the bed. A lizard; stuffed and forgotten and unblinking in its upward stare. His name was Brink, and he was a zoo gift shop acquisition.

“Haven’t thought about you in…” Drake trailed off.

“Did you find it?!” Moms voice called up.

He took up the castoff lizard companion, held it, then, “yeah mom…” a little softer.

Then he gently placed the dusty thing in his box to go to college.