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.”

looked up at

“Miki likes you too.”

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

there are a lot of

He frowned.

me?”

“I do,” I replied.

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

on this trip together

“Later,” he said.

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

hungry.”

“What do you want to

“Spaghetti,” he replied with determination.

couldn’t help it,

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

frowned,

Miki, he

“Okay,” he

lend them

He was an instant success with both pets and I could hear him laugh enthusiastically.

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

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

had my suspicions that were confirmed as I opened the door, dog in hand so that he would not rush into

He was

aside. “He’s here. We were about to go to the police station in a

rushed inside the room straight to Eloim and hugged him

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

want him to bother the men, and took a treat from one of my drawers

from the

I understood what he wanted and gave him the treat so that he would give it to Miki.

Miki, who complied

gave the treat.

told me.

many treats already. This

father got back

to go back home?” I asked the

he said.

I looked apologetically to

before going to the police station.

The man looked really strangely

went back

between the cop and father. He looked at his son then back at me,

will take you on your offer and let

I nodded.

me?” asked the

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

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

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

we

told him, extending my hand.

“How did

“Do what?”