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 Lily.”

you, you know.”

up at me.

likes you too.”

next to my thigh and looking at the scene

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

frowned.

“Do you like me?”

I replied.

on Lily and another on Miki and tried to coordinate

on this trip together if

“Later,” he

I nodded. “We can wait

“I’m hungry.”

do you want to

“Spaghetti,” he replied

couldn’t help it, I

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

He frowned, thinking.

could walk with Miki, he adores walks.”

“Okay,” he agreed.

I nodded, grabbed some of the pet’s toys and lend them to

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

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

heard knocks on the door. Miki barked,

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

was tall

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

to Eloim and hugged him talking

aside next to my door so that I

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

I heard from the living

to me. I understood what he wanted and

“Lie down,” he told Miki, who

gave the treat.

he told

too many treats already.

his father got back on his feed with wide eyes.

“Are you ready to go back home?” I

“No,” he said. “Spaghetti.”

apologetically to his father.

him spaghetti before going to the police station.

looked really

he went

cop and father. He looked at his son then back at

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

I nodded.

you still need me?” asked the

thank you officer,” the father

The policeman then looked at me, aiming his question at me too. I was about to be left alone

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

left and we were

him,

“How did you do that?”

“Do what?”