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.”

likes you,

up at

likes you too.”

that was sitting right next to my thigh

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

frowned.

me?” he

I replied.

on Lily and another on Miki and tried to

trip together if you want.”

he said.

nodded. “We can wait a few

hungry.”

you want to eat?”

he replied with determination.

I couldn’t help it,

spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we

frowned, thinking.

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

he

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

was an instant success with both pets and I could

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

underway when I heard knocks on

the door, dog in hand so that he would not rush into the corridor and try to impress the cop.

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

gentlemen,” I said moving aside. “He’s here. We were about to go to the police

room straight to Eloim and hugged

The policeman stood aside next to my door so

bother the men, and took a treat from one of my drawers to give it to

“No,” I heard from the living room.

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

down,” he told Miki, who complied

gave the treat.

“Another,” he told

Miki has had too many treats already. This will be

father got back on his

go back home?” I asked the child.

he said. “Spaghetti.”

I looked apologetically to

He told me he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to the police station. I don’t mind if he eats it first,” I said. “Or

really strangely at me.

Eloim, as he went back to playing with

and father. He looked at

on your offer and let him eat first,” he told me.

nodded.

still need me?” asked the

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

question at me too. I was about to be left alone with a stranger

and shook

and we were

“I’m Mila,” I told him, extending

“How did you do that?”

“Do what?”