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.”

“Lily really likes you, you know.”

looked up at me.

likes you

right next to my thigh and looking at the scene

sure there are a lot of

He frowned.

“Do you like me?”

“I do,” I

Lily and another on Miki and tried to coordinate his double

trip together if you want.”

“Later,” he said.

wait a few

hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

replied

help it,

play with Lily and Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and take a

He frowned, thinking.

with Miki,

he agreed.

the pet’s toys and lend them to Eloim,

He was an instant success with both pets and I could hear

and scrounge up some quick homemade

was nearly cooked, and the sauce underway when I heard knocks on

door, dog in hand so that he would not rush into the corridor and try to

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

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

The man rushed inside the room straight to

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

dog down, and told him, “Sit.” As I didn’t want him to bother the

I heard from the living room.

himself from whom I assumed was his father and came to me. I understood what he wanted and

“Lie down,” he told Miki,

Then he gave the treat.

“Another,” he told

Miki has had too many treats already. This

pouted, and behind him, his father got back on his feed with wide

ready to go back home?” I asked

he said. “Spaghetti.”

I looked apologetically to his

to the

looked really strangely

went back to playing with Lily.

I said again, looking between the cop and father. He looked at his

your offer and let him

nodded.

“Do you still need me?” asked the policeman.

“No, thank you officer,” the father

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

and shook his hand in turn. “Thank you.”

and we were left

Mila,” I told him, extending my hand.

“Xander.” We shook hands. “How did

“Do what?”