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

likes you, you know.”

He looked up

you too.”

right next to my

of other people who

He frowned.

like me?” he asked.

“I do,” I replied.

put one hand on Lily and another on Miki and tried to coordinate his double

on this trip together if you want.”

“Later,” he

can wait a few more minutes.”

“I’m hungry.”

do you want to eat?”

“Spaghetti,” he replied with

I couldn’t help it, I smiled.

and then once you’ve eaten we

frowned,

Miki, he

“Okay,” he agreed.

and lend them to Eloim, got up, and went

with both pets and I could hear him laugh enthusiastically.

up some quick homemade sauce

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

in hand so that he would not rush

the policeman asked me. He was tall and kind-looking. Behind him was a handsome man in

to go to the police station in a few minutes. He’s playing with the cat in the

rushed inside the room straight to Eloim and hugged him talking

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

put my dog down, and told him, “Sit.” As I didn’t want him to bother the men, and took a treat from one

“No,” I heard from

I understood what he wanted and gave him the treat

Miki, who

he gave the treat.

he told me.

Eloim. Miki has had too many treats already. This will be

behind him, his father got back on his feed with wide eyes.

go back home?” I asked

“No,” he said. “Spaghetti.”

I looked apologetically to his father.

he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to the police

looked really strangely at me.

as he went back to playing with

the cop and father. He looked at his son

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

I nodded.

you still need me?”

father said, shaking

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

“I will be fine,” I said, and shook his

He left and we were left alone.

I told him, extending

shook hands. “How did you do that?”

“Do what?”