All That Is Left Behind

“911, what is your emergency?” asked the operator.

“I found a lost child at Mont-Royal’s Park, he doesn’t talk much so I don’t know his name yet, but he needs to pee so I’m taking him to my place.” I gave her the address and a description of the child, and every other information I had managed to get out of him. I also promised to bring him to a police station after, and gave them my phone number, just in case.

He followed me quietly, holding my hand all the way until we reached my apartment.

“Do you need help, sweetie?” I asked him.

He shook his head and closed the door behind him.

I smiled and let him do his thing.

I put my bag down and grabbed my purse so that I would have my ID and everything I could need at the police station, and googled the closest police station.

“KITTY!” he screamed.

I jumped out of my skin.

I didn’t even realise he was out.

“Kitty,” he told me loudly, pointing at my cat.

“Don’t scream, please. You will scare her,” I said.

He smacked his hands on his mouth. “You can talk softly, though. Her name is Lily and she’s really sweet.”

“Can I pet Lily?” he asked.

I think it’s the longest sentence he ever addressed directly at me.

“Yes, you can,” I said. “But I think you scared her a little when you screamed. Do you want me to find her and bring her here so you can pet her?”

He nodded and I complied.

We sat in my small living-room, and I let him pet Lily for a little while.

“What is your name?” I asked.

He said nothing and continued to caress Lily’s head carefully.

“You know the name of Lily and Miki, but they don’t know your name.”

“Eloim,” he admitted.

“Do you know your last name?”

He said nothing.

Well, at least I had a first name.

“There is someplace we should go to, Eloim.”

He shook his head.

“I think your family is looking for you.”

“No.”

“You don’t think they’re looking for you?”

“No, I pet

likes you, you

looked up at

“Miki likes you too.”

sitting right next to my thigh and looking at the

there are a lot of other

frowned.

you like me?”

do,” I

and another on Miki and tried to

could go on this trip together

“Later,” he said.

can wait a few

hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“Spaghetti,” he replied with

help it, I smiled.

spaghetti, and then once you’ve

frowned, thinking.

with Miki, he adores

he

of the pet’s toys and lend them to

with both pets

scrounge up some quick homemade sauce as

on the door. Miki barked, but Eloim didn’t stop playing and laughing.

I opened the door, dog in hand so that he would not rush into the corridor and try to impress the

Miss. You called for a lost child at Mont-Royal?” the policeman asked me. He was tall and kind-looking. Behind him was a handsome

I said moving aside. “He’s here. We were about to go to the police station in a few minutes. He’s playing with the cat in the living room.”

to Eloim and hugged

next to my door so that I

As I didn’t want him to bother the men, and took a treat from one

“No,” I heard from the living

from whom I assumed was his father and came to me. I understood what he wanted and gave him the treat so that he

Miki, who

gave the treat.

told me.

too many treats already. This will be enough

his father got back on his

“Are you ready to go back home?” I asked the child.

said.

I looked apologetically to

“I’m sorry. He told me he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to the police station. I don’t mind

man looked really

“Spaghetti,” boomed Eloim, as he went back to playing with Lily.

sorry,” I said again, looking between the cop and father.

take you on your offer and let him eat first,” he told me.

I nodded.

me?” asked

you officer,” the father said, shaking

his question at me too. I was about to be left alone with a

said, and shook his hand in

and we were left alone.

told him, extending

shook hands. “How did you do that?”

what?”