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 know.”

up at me.

you too.”

that was sitting right next to my thigh and looking at the scene

are a lot of

frowned.

you like me?” he asked.

“I do,” I

Lily and another on Miki and tried to

“We could go on this trip together if

he

I nodded. “We can wait a

hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

he replied with determination.

it, I smiled.

I prepare some spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and take a walk together?”

He frowned,

“We could walk with Miki, he

he

I nodded, grabbed some of the pet’s toys and lend them

both pets and I could hear him

some quick homemade sauce

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

that were confirmed as I opened the door, dog in hand so that he would

asked me. He was tall and kind-looking. Behind him was a handsome man in a blazer looking

moving aside. “He’s here. We were about to go to the police

the room straight to Eloim and hugged him

The policeman stood aside next to my door so that I could

down, and told him, “Sit.” As I didn’t want him to bother the men, and took a

I heard from the living room.

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

“Lie down,” he told Miki, who complied

gave the

“Another,” he told me.

“No, Eloim. Miki has had too many treats already.

him, his father got back

back

he said.

looked apologetically to

before going to the police station. I don’t mind if he eats it

The man looked really strangely

“Spaghetti,” boomed Eloim, as he went back to

the cop and father. He looked at his son then

and let him eat first,” he told

I nodded.

me?” asked the policeman.

“No, thank you officer,” the father said, shaking his

I was about to be

and shook his hand in turn. “Thank you.”

and we

him, extending my

shook hands. “How did you

what?”