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

likes you,

looked up at me.

likes you

that was sitting right next to my thigh and looking at

a lot of other people who like

He frowned.

me?”

do,” I

another on Miki and tried to coordinate his

go on this trip together if

he said.

I nodded. “We can wait a few more minutes.”

hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“Spaghetti,” he replied with

I couldn’t help it, I

and Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then once you’ve eaten we can go and take a walk together?”

He frowned,

could walk with Miki, he adores walks.”

“Okay,” he

and lend them to Eloim,

both pets and I

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

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

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

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

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

inside the room straight to Eloim

next to 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 to give

from the living room.

assumed was his father and came to me. I understood what he wanted and gave him

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

the

“Another,” he told me.

treats already. This will be enough for

and behind him, his father got back on

you ready to go back home?” I asked

he said. “Spaghetti.”

looked apologetically to his father.

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,” I said.

The man looked really strangely at

he went back to playing

“I’m sorry,” I said again, looking between the cop and father. He looked at his son then

offer and let him

I nodded.

“Do you still need me?” asked

you officer,” the father said, shaking

question at me too. I was about to be left

fine,” I said, and shook his

and we

I told him, extending my hand.

hands. “How did

“Do what?”