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

likes you, you

looked up

you too.”

He looked at the dog that was sitting right next to my thigh and

are a lot of other people

He frowned.

you like me?” he asked.

“I do,” I replied.

hand on Lily and another on Miki and tried to

this trip together

“Later,” he said.

“We can wait a few more minutes.”

hungry.”

“What do you want

he replied

help it,

some spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and take

frowned, thinking.

walk with Miki, he adores

“Okay,” he agreed.

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

with both pets and I could hear him laugh enthusiastically.

stove and scrounge up some

underway when I heard knocks on the door. Miki barked, but Eloim didn’t stop playing and

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

was tall and kind-looking. Behind him was a handsome man in a blazer looking

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 room.”

straight to Eloim and hugged him talking

policeman stood aside next to my door

him to bother the men, and

“No,” I heard from the

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

“Lie down,” he told Miki,

he gave the treat.

told

many treats already.

behind him, his father got back

go back home?”

said.

apologetically to his father.

to the police station. I don’t mind if he eats

The man looked really

he went back to

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

your offer and let him eat first,”

nodded.

still need me?” asked the policeman.

“No, thank you officer,” the father

too. I was about to be left alone with

I said, and shook his

we were left

Mila,” I told him,

“How did

“Do what?”