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?”

pet

really likes you, you know.”

up at

“Miki likes you too.”

right next to my

are a lot of other people who

He frowned.

you like me?” he asked.

I replied.

hand on Lily and another on Miki

“We could go on this trip together

“Later,” he

“We can wait a few more minutes.”

“I’m hungry.”

want to eat?”

“Spaghetti,” he replied with determination.

I couldn’t help it,

Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and

frowned, thinking.

“We could walk with Miki, he adores

“Okay,” he agreed.

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

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

scrounge up some quick homemade sauce as I had nothing ready.

cooked, and the sauce underway when I heard knocks on the door.

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

for a lost child at Mont-Royal?” the policeman asked me. He was tall and kind-looking.

were about to go to the police station in a few minutes. He’s playing with the cat in the living room.”

man rushed inside the room straight to Eloim and hugged

policeman stood aside next to my door so that I

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

from the living room.

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

down,” he told Miki, who complied

he gave the treat.

he told

too many treats already.

his father got back on his feed with wide eyes.

back home?” I asked the

“No,” he said. “Spaghetti.”

apologetically to his

he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to the police station. I don’t

looked really strangely

he went back to playing with

looking between the cop and father. He looked at his son then back at me, puzzled.

take you on your offer and let

I nodded.

still need me?”

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

at me too. I was about to be left

“I will be fine,” I said, and shook his hand

He left and we were left alone.

told him, extending

“Xander.” We shook hands. “How did

what?”