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 Lily.”

you,

up at me.

likes you too.”

was sitting right next to my thigh

“I’m sure there are a lot of other people who like

He frowned.

me?” he asked.

do,” I replied.

on Lily and another on Miki and tried to

on this trip together

he said.

I nodded. “We can wait a few more minutes.”

“I’m hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

he replied with

it, I smiled.

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

frowned, thinking.

Miki, he

he

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

success with both pets and I could

I put water on the stove and scrounge up some quick homemade

nearly cooked, and the sauce underway when I heard knocks on the

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

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

go to the police station in a few minutes. He’s playing with the cat in

rushed inside the room straight to Eloim and hugged him talking softly.

door so that I could close

to bother the men, and took a treat from

from the living

to me. I understood what he wanted and gave him the treat so that he would give it to Miki.

Miki, who complied immediately.

Then he gave the treat.

he told me.

too many treats already.

his father got back on his feed with

ready to go back home?” I asked

he said. “Spaghetti.”

looked apologetically to his

he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to the

The man looked really strangely at me.

went back

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

will take you on your offer and let him eat

nodded.

need me?” asked

the father said, shaking his hand.

then looked at me, aiming his question at me too. I was about to be left alone with a stranger in my home after all.

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

we were

told him, extending

shook hands. “How did you

“Do what?”