Toby opened the apartment door and switched on the light. His mother was still working the late shift at the gas station. „There,“ Toby placed his backpack on the ground and opened it. „You can come out now.“

„Huff huff?“ Memis poked his head out of the bag. „Oh!“ He jumped out. „This is where you live?“

„Yeah?“ Toby hung up his jacket. „Is it that bad?“

„No! Not at all!“ Memis sniffed a bit on the ground. „I‘m glad to be safe here in your home.... did- did I ask for your name?“

„I‘m Toby.“ He went to the kitchen. „And yeah. I suppose there are no dragons here.“ He smiled. „Do you want to eat something?“

„Oh yes!! I‘m starving!!“ Memis followed him. „I haven‘t eaten a lot the last three days!!“

„Three days? Is that how long you‘ve been here? And- speaking of...“ Toby grabbed a can of ravioli from the shelf. „Where do you even come from?“

„Oh, I live in a small place near the icy mountains! I was just going for a walk like usual, when suddenly a portal appeared and I fell in! And then I was here!“

„A... a portal? What...“ Toby looked at Memis. „You mean like... a portal to another world?

„Yeah, I guess! At least this place here doesn‘t look like my world at all!“

„Thats.... odd.“ Toby put the ravioli into a bowl and placed it in the microwave. „I don’t know anything about science but I have a hard time believing that...“

„Well anyway, I‘m here I guess! And...“ Memis‘ looked to the ground. „I don‘t know... if I‘ll ever get home....“

„Hmm... I don‘t know either.“ The microwave pinged and Toby removed the bowl. „But I guess until we know better I‘ll just have a talking dog in my room!“

„Hm?“ Memis looked up. „Is it really fine if I stay? You don‘t know me after all.“

„Well, you seem nice. And I always wanted to have a dog! Even though I did not expect to get one like that. Or that he‘d talk.“ With a spoon he put some of the ravioli on a plate and placed it on the ground. „I know that‘s not exactly dog food, but I hope you like it!“

„OH!!! Fooood!!!“ Memis immediately began to dig in.

Toby smiled and settled himself on the chair next to the dining table. Without any more commentary he went to eat the remaining ravioli.

Only a few minutes later Memis‘ plate was wiped clean. „Mwaaah! That was good!“ „I‘m glad you liked it. I‘m not a good cook.“ Toby took the plate and placed it in the sink. „But at least I can feed myself. And well, you too I guess.“ „Oh yeah, what I was going to say...“ He looked up and wagged his tail. „Thank you, this is really nice~“ „Like I said. It‘s fine!“ Toby smiled. „We can go to my room now. Come, follow me.“

Toby‘s room was small and kind of messy. It had a bed, a desk and a dresser, as well as a few clothes lying around. His walls were covered in posters of musicians, sportsmen and different music and skating themed pictures.

„It‘s very nice.“ Memis sniffed on the ground again.

„It‘s okay, it‘s better than nothing.“ Toby sat down on the bed. „I guess you will spend most of your time here.... mom doesn‘t exactly like dogs, so she should not find out about you.“

„Oh... that‘s fine I guess.“ Memis sat down in front of Toby. „... where do I sleep?“

„Hmmh...“ Toby looked around. „I don‘t have a basket or pillow right now... I guess until I get you something you can sleep in my bed. You‘re small, this should be fine.“

„Really?! Oh you‘re way too nice.“ Memis jumped on the bed. „But what if Ii try to eat you tonight?“

Toby laughed. „I guess if that was your intention you‘d already have done that.“ He patted his head. „You‘re a good boy, aren‘t cha?“

„Hm?!“ Memis tail wagged again. „Yes I am! I am a very good boy!“

„That‘s what I thought!“ Toby laughed. „I‘m tired, I think we should get ready to sleep. We will figure out tomorrow how and when I will introduce you to mom.“

„Mmm, sounds good. Let‘s do that~“

~~~

The next day was going to be the first Sunday in a while where Toby did not play the guitar in the park. Instead, he spent the time with Memis at home. He went to a store earlier that day and got him a basket and some necessities. Memis was an interesting creature. He wasn‘t a usual dog, but at the same time so much like one.

They spent the next week together. Memis would wait for Toby to come home after school, and they would hang out, play video games (more like Toby would play and Memis would watch), read comics and such things. Yet somehow, Toby‘s mom had not realized yet that Memis was living in their apartment. Either she didn‘t notice, or she didn‘t care. After all, she was usually either at work, sleeping or watching TV.

Toby, however, was in a better mood than usual. Suddenly, he had something like a „friend“. Not that he never had friends before. But not anyone that he‘d enjoy spending time with outside of school.

„Hey, Memis.“

„Hm?“

It was Saturday evening again. Toby was lying in his bed, with Memis, who had his head resting on his chest, next to him.

„Tomorrow I will go play the guitar in the park. Do you wanna go with me?“

„Oh- of course! This sounds very nice.“

„Great~ maybe I might even go a little earlier than usual. People love dogs, and maybe they will give me more money when you‘re with me.“

„That makes sense!“

„And who knows, maybe we‘ll meet another friend of yours!“

„Hm? What do you mean by that?“

„I mean, if you‘re here, chances are that there might also be more of your kind lurking around.“

„Uhh... I don‘t know about that. But we will see!“

„I just hope that whatever more comes out of these portals is nice.“

„I can only hope that too...“