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?”

I pet Lily.”

likes you, you know.”

looked up at

you too.”

next to my thigh and looking at the scene

lot of

He frowned.

like me?” he asked.

I

on Lily and another on Miki and

on this trip

“Later,” he said.

I nodded. “We can wait a

“I’m hungry.”

you want to eat?”

“Spaghetti,” he replied

I couldn’t help it, I smiled.

“How about, you play with Lily and Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and take a walk

He frowned, thinking.

“We could walk with Miki, he adores walks.”

“Okay,” he agreed.

of the pet’s toys and lend them to Eloim, got up, and went

He was an instant success with both pets and I could hear him laugh enthusiastically.

some quick homemade sauce as

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

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

the policeman asked me. He was tall and kind-looking. Behind

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

to Eloim and hugged him talking softly.

door

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

from the

extricated himself from whom I assumed was his father and came to me. I understood what he wanted

he told Miki, who

gave the treat.

told

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

got back on his feed with wide eyes.

ready to go back home?” I asked the

“No,” he said. “Spaghetti.”

apologetically to

him spaghetti before going to the police

The man looked really strangely at me.

as he went back to

looking between the cop and father. He looked

on your offer and

nodded.

still need me?” asked the

officer,” the father

was

fine,” I said, and shook his hand in turn. “Thank you.”

and we were left alone.

“I’m Mila,” I told him, extending

“Xander.” We shook hands. “How did you do that?”

“Do what?”