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.”

He looked up at

“Miki likes you

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

a lot of other

He frowned.

like me?” he asked.

I

on Miki and tried to coordinate

this trip together if you

“Later,” he

“We can wait a

“I’m hungry.”

do you want to eat?”

replied

couldn’t help it, I smiled.

Miki, while I prepare some spaghetti, and then

He frowned, thinking.

walk with Miki, he adores walks.”

“Okay,” he agreed.

lend them to Eloim, got up, and went to the kitchen.

pets and I could hear him laugh enthusiastically.

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

sauce underway when I heard knocks on the door. Miki barked,

hand so that

asked me. He was tall and kind-looking. Behind him was a handsome man in a blazer looking anxious.

go to the police station in a few minutes. He’s playing

the room straight to Eloim and hugged him talking softly.

policeman stood aside next to my door so that I

“Sit.” As I didn’t want him to bother the

heard from

what he wanted and

he told Miki, who

gave the

he told

many treats already. This will be enough

his father got back on

to go back

“No,” 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,”

The man looked really strangely at me.

“Spaghetti,” boomed Eloim, as he went back to playing with Lily.

father. He looked at his son then back at

“Maybe I will take you on your offer and let him

I nodded.

you still need me?” asked the policeman.

you officer,” the father said,

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

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

left and we were

told him, extending my hand.

hands. “How did you do

“Do what?”