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?”

I pet Lily.”

“Lily really likes you,

up at

“Miki likes you

at the dog that was sitting right next to my thigh and looking at

a lot of other people who like

frowned.

“Do you like me?”

do,” I replied.

another on Miki and tried to coordinate his double petting.

“We could go on this trip together

“Later,” he said.

“We can wait a few more

“I’m hungry.”

want to eat?”

he replied

it, I smiled.

spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and take a walk together?”

He frowned, thinking.

“We could walk with Miki, he adores

“Okay,” he agreed.

toys and lend them to Eloim, got

pets and I could hear

up some quick homemade

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

I had my 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.

He was tall and

“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

room straight to

to my door so that I could

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

heard from the living room.

I assumed was his father and came to me. I understood what he wanted and gave him the treat so that he would give it

down,” he told Miki, who complied

he gave the

“Another,” he told me.

“No, Eloim. Miki has had too many treats already. This will be enough for

got back on his feed

ready to go back home?” I asked the

“No,” he said. “Spaghetti.”

looked apologetically to his

him spaghetti before going to the police station. I don’t mind if he eats it first,” I said. “Or not.”

looked really strangely at me.

he went back to playing with Lily.

between the cop and father. He looked at his son then back at

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

I nodded.

me?”

“No, thank you officer,” the father

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

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

left and we were left alone.

“I’m Mila,” I told him, extending

We shook hands. “How did you

what?”