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 me.

likes you too.”

next to my thigh and looking at

a lot of other people who

frowned.

like me?” he asked.

“I do,” I replied.

and another on Miki and

on this trip together

“Later,” he

nodded. “We can wait a

“I’m hungry.”

do you want

he replied with determination.

it,

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

He frowned, thinking.

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

“Okay,” he

them to Eloim, got up, and went to the

success with both pets and I could hear

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

was nearly cooked, and the sauce underway when I heard knocks on the door. Miki barked, but

as I opened the door, dog in hand so that he

child at Mont-Royal?” the policeman asked me. He was

about to go to the police station

to Eloim and hugged him talking softly.

to my door so that I could close it.

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

heard from the living

father and came to me. I understood what he wanted and gave him the

told Miki, who complied

he gave the

“Another,” he told me.

had too many treats already. This will

behind him, his father got

you ready to go back

he said. “Spaghetti.”

apologetically to his father.

going to

man looked really

as he went back to playing with Lily.

and father.

and let him eat first,” he told me.

I nodded.

still need me?” asked

father said, shaking

question at me too. I was about to be

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

left and we

told him,

“How

what?”