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.”

likes you,

up

likes you

right next

there are a lot of other people who

frowned.

me?” he

do,” I

one hand on Lily and another on Miki and tried to coordinate his double petting.

this trip

“Later,” he said.

wait a

“I’m hungry.”

“What do you want

he replied

help it, I

I prepare some spaghetti, and then

frowned, thinking.

with Miki, he adores walks.”

“Okay,” he agreed.

them to Eloim, got up, and went to

pets

the stove and scrounge up some

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

hand so that he would not rush into

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

I said 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

straight to Eloim and hugged him talking softly.

aside next to my door so that I could close it.

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

from the living room.

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

Miki, who complied immediately.

gave the treat.

he told

treats already. This will be enough

Eloim pouted, and behind him, his father got back

to go back home?” I

“No,” he said. “Spaghetti.”

apologetically to his

me he was hungry and I promised him spaghetti before going to

The man looked really

went back

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

and let him eat first,” he told me.

I nodded.

me?” asked the

you officer,” the father said, shaking his hand.

too. I was about to be

said, and shook his hand

we were left alone.

him, extending my hand.

shook hands. “How did you do

what?”