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

likes you, you know.”

looked up at me.

you

at the dog that was sitting right next to

“I’m sure there are a lot of other people

He frowned.

“Do you like me?” he asked.

I

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

go on this trip together if you want.”

“Later,” he said.

can wait a few

hungry.”

do you want to

he replied with

it, I

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

He frowned, thinking.

“We could walk with Miki, he adores

he

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

with both pets and I

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

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

hand so that he would not rush into the corridor and try to impress

“Hello, Miss. You called for a lost child at Mont-Royal?” the policeman asked me. He was tall

“Yes, gentlemen,” I said moving aside. “He’s here. We were about to go to the police station in

room straight to Eloim and hugged him

to my door so that I could close it.

want him to bother the

“No,” I heard from the living

what he wanted and gave him the treat so that he would

“Lie down,” he told Miki, who complied immediately.

the treat.

he told me.

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

him, his father got

back home?” I asked

“No,” he said. “Spaghetti.”

apologetically to his

sorry. He told me he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to the police station.

really strangely at me.

boomed Eloim, as he went

“I’m sorry,” I said again, looking between the cop and father.

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

nodded.

“Do you still need me?” asked the

“No, thank you officer,” the father said,

me too. I was about to be left alone with

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

we were left

told him, extending my

“Xander.” We shook hands. “How did you do

what?”