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

He looked up at me.

you

looked at the dog that was sitting right next to my thigh and looking at the scene joyfully.

lot of other people who like you too.”

He frowned.

like me?”

“I do,” I

on Lily and another on Miki and tried to

“We could go on this trip

“Later,” he

wait a few more minutes.”

“I’m hungry.”

do you want to eat?”

he replied with

help it, I

and then

He frowned,

with Miki, he adores

“Okay,” he

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

success with both pets and I could hear

water on the stove and scrounge up some quick homemade

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

hand so that he would not rush into the corridor and try to impress the

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

here. We were about to go to the police station in a few minutes. He’s playing with the

to Eloim and hugged him talking

door so that I could

my dog down, and told him, “Sit.” As I didn’t want him to bother the men, and took a treat from one of my drawers to give it to him.

heard from the

assumed was his father and came to me. I understood what he

Miki, who complied immediately.

gave the treat.

“Another,” he told

too many treats already. This

behind him, his father got back on his feed

you ready to go back home?” I asked

“No,” he said. “Spaghetti.”

I looked apologetically to his

spaghetti before going to the police

The man looked really

he went back to playing with

and father. He looked

your offer and let him

I nodded.

“Do you still need me?” asked the policeman.

you officer,” the father said, shaking his hand.

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

and shook his

we were left alone.

“I’m Mila,” I told him,

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

what?”