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 Lily.”

“Lily really likes you, you know.”

He looked up at me.

likes you

next to my thigh and looking at the scene joyfully.

sure there are a lot of

He frowned.

like me?” he asked.

“I do,” I replied.

one hand on Lily and another on Miki and

“We could go on this trip together if you want.”

he

can wait a few more minutes.”

hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“Spaghetti,” he replied

couldn’t help it, I smiled.

Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and

frowned,

with Miki,

“Okay,” he

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

with both pets and I

the stove and scrounge up some quick

underway when I heard knocks on the door. Miki barked, but Eloim didn’t

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

He was tall and kind-looking. Behind him was a handsome man

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

man rushed inside the room straight to

aside next to my door so that I could

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

I heard from the living room.

extricated himself from whom I assumed was his father and came to me. I understood what he wanted and gave him the treat so

he told Miki, who complied immediately.

the treat.

he told me.

too many treats already.

his father got back on his feed with

ready to go back home?” I asked

he said.

to his

“I’m sorry. He told me he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to the police station. I don’t mind if he eats it first,”

man looked really strangely at me.

Eloim, as he went back to playing

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

“Maybe I will take you on your offer and

nodded.

you still need me?” asked the policeman.

officer,” the father said, shaking his

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.”

left and we were left alone.

I told him, extending my hand.

“Xander.” We shook hands. “How did

what?”