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 really likes you, you know.”

up at

you

right next to my thigh and

are a lot of other people who like

frowned.

“Do you like me?” he asked.

“I do,” I replied.

one hand on Lily and another on Miki and tried to coordinate

this trip

“Later,” he

“We can wait a few more minutes.”

hungry.”

“What do you want to

“Spaghetti,” he replied with determination.

I couldn’t help it,

Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then once you’ve

He frowned, thinking.

with Miki, he adores

he

them to Eloim, got up, and went to the kitchen.

an instant success with both pets

on the stove and scrounge up some quick

on the door. Miki barked, but Eloim didn’t

I had my suspicions that were confirmed as I opened the door, dog in hand so that he would not rush into the corridor and try to

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

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

rushed inside the room straight to

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

bother the men, and took a treat from

“No,” I heard from the

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

he told Miki,

gave the treat.

he told me.

too many treats

his father got back on his feed with wide eyes.

back home?” I

he said. “Spaghetti.”

I looked apologetically to

promised him spaghetti before going to the

looked really strangely at

went back

I said again, looking between the cop and father. He looked at his

“Maybe I will take you on your offer and let him eat

I nodded.

me?” asked the

officer,” the father said, shaking

his question at me too. I was about to

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

left and we

“I’m Mila,” I told him, extending

“Xander.” We shook hands. “How did

what?”