Let your Freak Flag Fly
Part 1
Benoit read each and every review on The Freak Show of Quebec website. He grew more mad with every review that he read. They were all negative. He didn't understand it. He thought every person in Canada were supposed to be polite. So why were these reviews so disappointing? The phone then rang and he answered it.
"Hello?" He asked over the phone.
"Have you read the reviews on our website, Benoit?" The voice on the other end wanted to know. Benoit sighed. It was his boss.
"Qui. I'm reading them right now."
"And you know why I'm so disappointed?" Benoit sighed again.
"Qui. Our freak show is a joke."
"It is. It very much is."
"I think we need to find a new act for the show. Spice things up and give the audience what they want." Benoit was confused about this.
"How are we going to do that?"
"By getting a new act for the show, of course." Benoit felt stupid that he had asked.
"Of course, Monsieur. I'm sorry I asked. Do you have someone in mind?"
"Oui, I do. Do you know what just happened down at the Skydome during the 4*Town concert last night?" Benoit groaned.
"Non. Why should I? You know I can't stand that teenage crap. There's not even four members, there's five. What's up with that?"
"Well, you should. You should know what happened. I can't stand that teenage crap either."
"What happened?"
"Apparently, it was destroyed by an enormous red panda." Benoit was in disbelief.
"What?! That's impossible!"
"It happened, so it's not impossible."
"I guess. Okay, tell me more."
"It's all over the news. You can read the article online." Benoit was disappointed again.
"You know I hate looking stuff up with this Dial- Up- Internet. It's so slow. I wish the Internet will improve in the future. Because right now, it's ridiculous."
"I agree. It really sucks, but anyways, read the article and tell me what you think."
"Of the destruction?"
"No, of the red pandas!"
"Oh, right." He hung up. So did Benoit. Benoit hung the phone back onto its cradle and went online once again. He searched up 4*Town and Skydome on the search engine. He couldn't believe he was typing 4*Town in the search engine, but he was.
He read the whole article. He read it two more times, yet he still couldn't believe it. He was also bummed that he had missed the blood moon. It was frustrating because ever since he was a child, he always wanted to see the blood moon and every time that it was visible in the night sky, he was always doing something, so he always missed it. He vowed one day that he won't miss it and his childhood dream of seeing it will come true. He just knows that it will.
Still in denial about the red pandas, he decided he had enough of the computer for the day and shut it off. He went to sit down on his comfy couch, picked up the remote and turned on the TV. The news was on. He was about to change the station when he realized it was a segment about the Skydome. He turned up the volume and listened.
He saw the mad giant red panda destroy the Skydome. And what was that second giant red panda doing with her butt to the other red panda? He had so many questions, but unfortunately he didn't get any answers.
But he didn't need the answers. They were both red giant pandas! Perfect for the show! And the act just needed one to get the audience's attention. The question was, how will he get his hands on one? He knew the Skydome was in Toronto. He went there several times with his father as a kid for baseball games. But where exactly do these giant red pandas live?
The scene then showed a Chinese woman with the smaller, but still giant red panda and the news stated that they were raising money to help rebuild the Skydome. They were in front of a Chinese temple.
Benoit concluded that this was Chinatown in Toronto, and he knew where that was too, not far from the CN Tower. Luckily, his father took him to both as well when he was a child.
He called his boss back up. The phone rang and rang, but eventually, his boss picked up on the other line.
"You woke me up." His boss said, drowsily. "What do you want? This better be important."
"It is." Benoit answered. "I read the article about the Skydome and the giant red pandas. I also saw them on TV. I'm positive that I know where they are. They're in Chinatown in Toronto."
"You woke me up for that?" Benoit then felt foolish.
"Well, if you put it like that, I suppose I could've waited to tell you in the morning."
"Gee, you think? Now, I'm hanging up. I don't want to hear from you until at least tomorrow morning. Got that?"
"Crystal, sir, goodnight," He expected his boss to wish him a goodnight too, but the line went dead. "Hello? Boss?" He gave up and hung up too.
But before he went to bed he went back online to search up the article again. He wanted to look at the red pandas so he had an idea of what size trap that he should get. Very big. Even bigger than the biggest dog in the world maybe. Where would he find a cage that size? He didn't know. He knew he would know in time, sooner rather than later…he hoped. He had to. A few minutes later, he shut down the computer, and he too, went to bed.
The next morning as Ming parked the car in front of her daughter's school, she looked at her.
"Now, Mei." She began. "It might not be the best to transform into a giant red panda at school. It might be too distracting for the other kids from trying to do their schoolwork, ok?"
"My panda, my choice, Mom." Mei answered. Ming hated that her daughter was saying that now, but her baby was growing up, so she guessed she had to get used to it. "But, fair enough. Bye, Mom! I love you!"
"I love you too, Mei Mei!" As soon as Mei closed the car door behind her, her mom drove off. Mei went to join her friends as soon as she saw them.
"Hey, girls!" She greeted.
"Mei!" They all greeted her back at the same time.
"Did you like the concert?" Miriam asked. "Minus the part where your mom completely went all beast mode and destroyed the Skydome?"
"Yeah!" Abby agreed. "That was awesome! It made the concert even better!"
"I still can't believe you got in for free." Priya stated. Mei realized that her friend was right.
"Oh, crud!" She cursed, "You're right. I guess I did get in for free while you guys and everyone else had to pay. Sorry about that." Abby swore in Korean.
"Not fair!" She whined. "Just because you now can transform into a fuzzy giant red panda and we don't have that ability does not give you special privileges. That's…that's…well, I don't know what that is. It still isn't right though."
"Don't worry, Abs." Mei assured her. "I'll give them the money. I'm sure my mom won't mind."
"Even though she didn't approve of you going in the first place?" Miriam asked. "That's why she freaked out, right?"
"Correct. Still, that's no excuse. We both are in the wrong. Me for not paying and Mom for wrecking the place. We should both pay the consequences. The damage is already done."
"Yeah, literally." Priya added.
"Yeah, Priya, exactly.
"Hey, Mei!" Someone shouted. The friends looked and saw a girl coming their way. She stopped when she was in front of them. "My name's Meg and I heard you can change into a giant red panda. Is it true? My friend doesn't think so. Can I show you my friend and you can prove her wrong by turning into your red panda form?"
"I don't know." Mei began. "We're supposed to be in first class soon. My mom said not to. You and the other kids might get distracted." Meg got down on her knees and begged.
"Oh, please! I made a bet and if I don't win, I won't win my candy bar and my friend won't let this go. She'll remind me of this for at least five more years. I'll be haunted by it for the rest of my life!"
"No offense," Priya began. "…but what kind of friend is that if she'll constantly torment you if you don't win this bet?"
"And if I made this bet," Abby added. "I would have gone bigger and much more better than a candy bar, like a car or endless 4*Town tickets."
"Why a car?" Miriam wanted to know. "You won't be able to drive it for at least three more years. It seems pointless to win it and then you have to wait a long time to use it." Abby turned to her.
"True, but at least I'll be prepared. It's never too late or early to start getting ready to prepare these kinds of things."
"But aren't some cars only good for eleven years or so?" Abby once again swore in Korean.
"Can't a girl dream?!"
"I guess. You can do what you want. Abs. I won't stop you." Abby grinned.
"Thanks. As it should be." Mei came up with an idea.
"How about if we all have the same lunch, I'll show you and your friend then? If not, maybe after school or some other time?" Meg grinned.
"Deal!" She agreed. "I'll go tell my friend right now." She then left.
"Are you really going to do it?" The girls looked and saw that it was Tyler. "This is a big school. You might not even see that girl again. I don't think she's even in our grade."
"I might." Mei said to him. "And when I do, I'll show her and her friend. I can't let her lose that bet and let her friend torment her for the rest of her schooldays, can I?"
"Again," Priya put in. "Why make a friend like that? Makes no sense to me whatsoever, but whatever. It's her life. If she chooses to be tormented for the rest of her life, then so be it. I don't care…well, I might care a little. I don't want to sound too heartless."
"You're not heartless, Priya." Abby told her. "Even heartless people have hearts deep, deep, deep inside of them." Priya smiled.
"Thanks." Abby smiled.
"No problem! That's what friends are for, to cheer each other up when they're down."
"I wasn't down, but whatever."
"You can." Tyler continued. "But now, you made a promise to that girl. If you never see her again, how are you going to show her and her friend your panda?"
"I will see her again." Mei informed him."This isn't that big of a school. It's only…" She looked at Abby. "Abs?" Abby was confused.
"What?" She then felt insulted. "Oh, just because I'm Asian I'm supposed to be smart, huh? Well, I'll tell you something. There's exactly 840 students in this school building. Don't tell me how I know that. I just know and it's not because I'm smart or anything." Mei was impressed.
"Wow! I guess this is a pretty big school then." The first warning bell then rang.
"Well, that was the warning bell. Better not be late, girls! Bye, Tyler!" They then hurried off with the other kids.
During their first class, the PA system kicked in. After the morning announcements, the principal called down Mei to his office. Every student oohed at this. She left as the teacher calmed the rest off the class down.
Mei was sitting on a chair in the principal's office in front of his desk, waiting for him to speak.
"So, why am I in here?" She asked finally, breaking the silence. "I'm not in trouble, am I? Because I'm 100% sure I did nothing wrong."
"I'm not mad at you." The principal told her. Mei sighed in relief.
"Oh, good, because for some reason, whenever a kid gets sent in here, other kids think that they are in trouble. I mean, kids usually go to the principal's office due to them being in trouble. So, I don't blame them for thinking that. However, you should never just assume because of what is usually the case."
"That is right, Mei. No wonder why you're an honor student. You're a smart girl for your age. I wish the other students and even some of the staff understood that. I wouldn't mind someone actually coming in here to say hello to me for a change." He cleared his throat. "Now, for why you're here."
"Which is…?"
"I know about your strange and sudden ability to change into a giant red panda."
"I know, it sounds impossible. An average 13-year old suddenly turning into a red panda at will? But I promise you, there is a reason behind it and as crazy as it sounds, it's not. You see, I live in a family where all of the…" The principal held up his hand.
"As much as I love for you to tell your story, it'll take time out of your school day, so save it for another date. Now, it might be wise not to change into a fluffy panda every chance that you get. It'll get too distracting for the other students here and we can't have that."
"That is what my mom said this morning when she dropped me off."
"She's right. I agree. So, do you think that you can control yourself and not transform into a red panda during school hours for the sake of yourself and the fellow students?"
Mei wanted to tell him 'my panda, my choice', but then she remembered who she was talking to and wouldn't dare. That might work on her mom, much to her annoyance, but the school principal was a different story. So she sighed and looked at him in the eye.
"Yeah." She responded. "I can do that." The principal smiled.
"Perfect. Then it's settled. Now, you may go back to class. I'll be eagerly awaiting for you to tell me how a middle schooler can change into a red panda. I may not believe it, but I'll listen and I guess I'll have to go with it." Mei gave him a weak smile.
"That's right you have to, because it'll be the truth." She then noticed the principal glaring at her, making this super awkward. "Uh, I'm just going to go now. Have a good rest of your day!" The principal smiled.
"Thank you, Mei. You too." Mei opened the door and left. She was glad that none of her classmates heard that, or they'll dub her as the 'Principal's pet' for the rest of the year and all of next year.
Benoit woke up the next morning. After breakfast, he logged onto the Internet to order the cage for the red panda he saw on tv last night, but not before looking at the pictures he printed last night for reference. He was disappointed that he had to wait 3-4 weeks before it came, but he guessed he had to put up with it. And when the cage comes, he'll put his plan into motion. And that is what got him excited. With an enormous red panda in the show, it'll be a hit, and the money will start skyrocketing! He just knows it. He called his boss to inform him.
"Way to go, Benoit!" His boss congratulated him on the other line. "You know, I was just about to call to tell you that you should order very big cages or a single one over the Internet."
"Well, you know what they say," Benoit began. "…that great minds think alike."
"That they do."
"It sucks how much time I have to wait."
"I know it does. But in the meantime, you can make a plan. Maybe fly to Toronto to find where the red panda is exactly. Then when the cage does come, you know what to do."
"Right, Boss. That's brilliant!" Although he couldn't see it, Benoit knew that his boss was grinning on the other end.
"That's why I'm the boss."
"Right." After they hung up, Benoit left to get ready for work.
At the end of the work day, he gathered all of the 'freaks', to make the announcement.
"I'm proud to say that in another month or so, we'll have something new for the show." Benoit told them all. A woman with a bushy mustache sighed.
"Lord help this person." She said to herself.
"Okay, that's all." Benoit concluded. "See you tomorrow, freaks!" Everyone left.
"So, Mei," Miriam said to her as they were all going to their next class. "What did the principal want?"
"Did you get into trouble?" Abby wanted to know.
"Now, why would Mei get into trouble?" Priya questioned Abby. "You know our girl isn't like that. You know, she's like, the perfect student."
"Oh, I don't know." Abby said. "Maybe the fact that she turns into a red panda whenever she wants."
"Why would she get into trouble for that?" Abby shrugged.
"I don't know. Why else would she get called down to the principal's office? Just to say 'hi'? I don't think so. Principals don't do that. It's like the law of the principals."
"I guess that makes sense."
"Ha! You're darn right I am. Abby wins again!"
"Girls, girls!" Mei said to them, "The principal just wanted me not to poof into a panda during school hours. He said it'll be distracting."
"That all?" A confused Miriam asked. Mei just nodded.
"That sucks." Abby said. "It'll make the school day more interesting with a red panda around." Mei frowned.
"You're right, Abs." She agreed. "But rules are rules, and this is school. I have to obey them no matter what."
"I guess."
After her school let out, Mei did her homework, and then went off to help her parents to raise money for the repairs to the Skydome. She would much rather do something else she enjoyed, but she knew this would benefit all of Canada. Plus, she felt that this was really allowing her to mend her relationship with her mom. And with school ending in another month, she'll have all of the time in the world. Well, at least until school started up again in the Fall.
The mustache woman, Beutrica, called a meeting that night. Everyone who had an act in the show met in her trailer.
"The new act that Benoit told us about won't know about how badly he treats us." Beutrica began. "They'll probably already know about the humiliation during the show, but they won't know what is happening between the shows. They don't know about the abuse, and us having to fend for ourselves. We have to warn them!"
"Eerga I." A lady spoke in her backwards language. "Taht roop tct t'now thaw si gnimoc rieht yaw!"
"I wish we could escape from this awful place." Another woman spoke up. "Then I wouldn't be forced every show to hold my breath under water for a whole hour."
"We all wish that, Brielle." Beutrica said to her. "But remember? We tried several times to escape, but every time, Benoit and his goons catch us before we even leave the grounds." Brielle frowned.
"I know. You can still wish on the things that you know won't come true though even though it might be pointless." A man with a bird beak, a pig snout, elephant ears, and tiger tail put his puppy paw on her shoulder.
"Don't worry, Brielle." He assured her. "We will all escape successfully one day. I just know it!" Beutrica sighed.
"You always say that, Samson."
"And I aways mean it, someday!"
"Whatever." She looked at everyone else. "Okay, meeting adjourned. You may all go back to your trailers or whatever." With that, everyone left her trailer.
Benoit drove for eight hours the next day to Toronto. He did a few stops along the way so it wasn't until night until he finally arrived. He checked into a hotel for the night and the next day, he went to Chinatown to search for a giant red panda. He approached a Chinese man.
"Excuse me, sir?" He said to him. The man looked at him. It was Mr. Gao.
"Yes?" He wanted to know. "May I help you?"
"Actually, you can. You see, I was watching the news a couple of nights ago, and I saw that there were some unusual giant red pandas." Mr. Gao smiled.
"Aw, yes! You mean Mei and her mom, Ming. You here to see them?"
"Oui. I travelled all the way from Quebec just to see them."
"I see. I noticed from your accent that you weren't from here. You traveled a long way then. Come, I'll take you to them."
"Oh, don't mind that I do, old man." Mr. Gao frowned at this.
"Don't call me that."
"Sorry. That was highly inappropriate of me. I don't know why I even said that. You're as young as you feel." He saw Mr. Gao was giving him a look now. "I'll shut up now and just follow you as you lead me the way." He followed Mr. Gao.
Mr. Gao led Benoit to a Chinese temple. In front of the temple stood Ming and Mei.
"I have somebody to see you, Ming." Mr. Gao told her. "Mei too. His name is Mr. Benoit."
"Monsieur Benoit." Benoit corrected him.
"Right, of course, Monsieur Benoit."
"Of course." Ming said. She looked at him. "What would you like from us, Monsieur Benoit?"
"I saw on the news that they're some very unusual giant red pandas here; isn't that correct? May I see them?" Ming was about to talk when Mei did instead.
"There sure are!" She spoke. "We don't have the giant, giant red panda anymore. But we have the giant panda, and you're not going to believe it, but that red panda is…." Ming covered up Mei's mouth to prevent her from speaking. She looked at Benoit, giving him a nervous grin.
"We don't have any giant red pandas here." She told him. Benoit was confused.
"But I saw them on TV." He said.
"Do you mean Bart and Lisa?" Benoit was confused.
"Bart and who?" Ming sighed.
"They're the red pandas statues we have at the entrance. My daughter named them after cartoon characters."
"No, I'm pretty sure these were real red pandas."
"Maybe you're talking about a zoo, perhaps?"
"No. I remember this exact same place from the TV. They're here."
"Well, I don't know what to tell you. Maybe you're talking about red pandas that escaped from the zoo and came here." Benoit was getting annoyed.
"Now look here, lady. I know what I saw and I know without a doubt that there are indeed at least one giant red panda here. You're hiding it from me. I know you are." This time Ming got mad. She remained calm.
"I think you should leave. We don't have any giant red pandas here and that's final. Unusual giant red pandas? How ridiculous!" Benoit was about to argue some more, but chose not to.
"Fine! I'm leaving. I guess I came all of this way from Quebec for nothing then."
"I guess you did."
"Sorry about this, Monsieur Benoit." Mr. Gao apologized to him as he left. Mei looked at her Mom.
"Mom," She began. "…why did you tell that man that? You know that's not all true."
"I think I know why, Mei." Mr. Gao said. Mei looked at him. "That man is a stranger. He may seem nice, but he may be dangerous. Your mother told him that to protect you. I should have known that." He looked at Ming. "Forgive me, Ming. I'm truly sorry." Mei looked at her mother.
"Is that true, Mom?" Ming looked at her daughter.
"You said so yourself, Mei." She said. "You told me you were scared that keeping our curse could take you away from me and your father. And you should be scared. I'm scared too. Mr. Gao is right. We don't know that man. He might take advantage of you because of it. And I am not taking that risk. And you shouldn't too."
"But, Mom, I am transforming into a giant red panda to raise money for the Skydome, remember?"
"I know that, but we need to be careful. Maybe we shouldn't do it anymore. We'll figure out another way to raise money." Mei was shocked.
"What?! But, Mom. I'll be super careful. Please, my panda, my cho…" Ming glared at her.
"That's not going to work every time, Mei Mei!" Mei was about to add something more, when she realized her mother was right. She sighed.
"Yes, Mom. We'll get money without me turning into a panda." Her mom smiled.
"Thanks, Mei. That's all I want. Whatever we decide to do, it'll be fun!"
"Yeah, sure, whatever, Mom." Her mother glared at her. She then turned to Mr. Gao.
"I know you meant well, Gao, but you have to remember that some people may seem friendly, but they may be shady and have bad never know their mindset. And because of that, you have to be really careful."
"I understand, Ming." Mr. Gao said to her. "And again, I'm so sorry. I didn't think of the possible consequences."
"That's okay. Now you know, Gao. And because you know, I assume you won't let random strangers from off of the street come to see my me and my daughter."
"I will try to do better next time."
"I know you will, Gao." After bidding his goodbye, Mr. Gao left. Ming looked at her daughter. "Mei, I'm only doing this for your own good. You know this, don't you? You just can't trust everyone you meet, no matter how nice they seem to be."
"Yes, Mom." Mei replied. "Stranger danger. You have been teaching me that all of my life."
"And now, it's as important as ever that you remember that. Mei Mei, I love you, and I don't want to lose you."
"I don't want to lose you either, Mom. You and Dad both mean the whole world to me." Ming smiled at that.
Benoit couldn't take no for an answer. He knew what he saw on the news and what he read in the article. He knew that the mom was hiding something, but why? Benoit knew that there must be a reason. He had to come back when he got the cage. He hoped when he came back, he would get his panda. He did not want to waste a trip.
Mei's school bus dropped her off and the other kids at the bus stop for the last time until September. Mei made it just in time for the bus as she saw Meg and had to show her her panda form. The kids from the bus bid their farewells to Mei. Mei did too. She did the same with the other kids at her bus stop. She walked to the temple.
She only walked a few blocks, and couldn't help it. She squealed to herself and cheered.
"YES!" She shouted to herself. "It's the last day of school! I don't have to go back until September. I can spend more time with Abby, Miriam, and Priya without school interfering!" She danced. She was so excited that she turned into her giant panda self. Unbeknownst to her, Benoit was watching, holding onto a tranquilizer gun.
I knew it! Benoit thought to himself with an evil grin. I knew the mom was hiding something from me. I just didn't expect that her daughter could transform into a giant red panda. This surely will make the act a thousand times better! Now, to make my move. And with that, he hid in some nearby bushes.
As soon as Mei came closer to the bushes. Benoit shot the tranquilizer gun at Mei; It hit Mei and before she knew it, she grew woozy and fell to the cement, fast asleep. Boinoit grinned to himself and got Mei in the cage. It was a struggle for her enormous size, but he eventually did it. He locked it up tight, put it back in the back of his rental truck, and drove off in it.
Mei woke up, still in the back of the truck. She looked around, wondering where she was. Suddenly, she knew. Her worst fear had come true.
No! She told herself. No, no, no, no! Why did this have to happen to me? Why wasn't I careful like I promised Mom? Why don't I only get periods like all girls? She was so full of emotion, that the young teenager curled herself into a ball, and couldn't help herself and broke into tears.