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

you,

looked up at

“Miki likes you

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

lot of other

frowned.

“Do you like me?” he asked.

“I do,” I

He put one hand on Lily and another on Miki and tried

on this trip together

“Later,” he said.

nodded. “We can wait a

“I’m hungry.”

want to eat?”

“Spaghetti,” he replied with

help it,

about, you play with Lily and Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then

frowned, thinking.

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

he

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

with both pets and I could hear him

and scrounge up some

nearly cooked, and the sauce underway when I heard knocks on the door. Miki barked,

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

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

“Yes, gentlemen,” I said 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 softly.

policeman stood aside next to my door so that I could

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

“No,” I heard from

understood what he wanted and gave him the

told Miki, who complied immediately.

the treat.

told

had too many treats already. This

got back on his

ready to go back home?” I asked the

he said.

I looked apologetically to his father.

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

looked really strangely at me.

as he went back to playing with Lily.

looking between the cop and father. He

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

nodded.

you still need me?” asked the

father said, shaking

his question at me too. I was about

said, and shook his hand in turn. “Thank

left and we were left alone.

“I’m Mila,” I told him, extending my hand.

hands. “How

“Do what?”