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?”

pet

really likes you, you

up at

you too.”

sitting right next to my thigh and looking at the scene

there are a lot of other people who like you

He frowned.

you like me?” he

do,” I replied.

hand on Lily and another on Miki and tried to coordinate his double petting.

“We could go on this trip together if you

“Later,” he said.

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

“I’m hungry.”

do you want

“Spaghetti,” he replied

I couldn’t help it, I smiled.

with Lily and Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and take

frowned, thinking.

walk with Miki, he adores

he

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

pets and I could

I put water on the stove and scrounge up some quick homemade sauce as I had nothing

heard knocks on the door. Miki barked, but Eloim didn’t

opened the door, dog in hand so

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

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

the room straight to Eloim and hugged him talking softly.

aside next to my door so that I could close it.

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

“No,” I heard from the

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

told Miki, who

the treat.

he told me.

had too many treats already.

pouted, and behind him, his father got back

ready to go back home?” I asked the child.

said. “Spaghetti.”

to his father.

told me he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to the police station. I don’t mind if he eats it

The man looked really strangely at

Eloim, as he went back to playing with

looking between the cop and father. He looked

offer and let him eat

I nodded.

“Do you still need me?” asked

you officer,” the father

I was about to be left alone with a stranger in my home after all.

and shook his hand in turn.

He left and we were left

told him, extending my

shook hands. “How did you do that?”

what?”