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.”

really likes you, you know.”

up at me.

you too.”

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

there are a lot of other people who like you

He frowned.

“Do you like me?”

“I do,” I replied.

on Lily and another on Miki and

“We could go on this trip together if you

“Later,” he said.

can wait a few more minutes.”

“I’m hungry.”

want to eat?”

replied with determination.

I couldn’t help it, I

some spaghetti, and then

He frowned, thinking.

“We could walk with Miki, he adores walks.”

he agreed.

toys and lend them to Eloim, got

success with both pets

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

The pasta was nearly cooked, and the sauce underway when I heard knocks on the door. Miki barked,

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

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

moving aside. “He’s here. We were about to go to the police station in a few minutes. He’s playing with the cat in the living room.”

man rushed inside the room straight to Eloim and hugged him talking

my door so that I could close it.

As I didn’t want him to bother the men, and took a treat from one of my drawers

heard from the living room.

to me. I understood what he wanted and gave him the treat so

Miki, who complied immediately.

Then he gave the

he told me.

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

Eloim pouted, and behind him, his father got back on his

“Are you ready to go back home?” I asked

he said. “Spaghetti.”

apologetically to his father.

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.

he went back to playing with

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

take you on your offer and let him

I nodded.

you still need me?” asked the

officer,” the father said, shaking his hand.

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

shook

left and we

told him, extending my

“How did you do

“Do what?”