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Description
On Sundays growing up meant leisurely mornings with his parents reading the newspaper, barbecues, watching football games, riding bikes with his best friend Rafe -- the one he hadn't seen in years, the one who had gone east to university -- or hanging out at their secret clubhouse in the woods. Normal, everyday things. He idly wondered how Rafe was spending HIS Sundays. Hanging around the dorm? Studying in quiet library stacks? Idyllic nature hikes? Kissing a beautiful girl? All of the above?

He really needed to stop torturing himself like this. He was being tortured enough.

Now it meant six hours of hard labor instead of 12. The library was closed on Sunday, of course, and that was the only place Jude was interested in.

The only place to go was one of 12 church services they were offering all through the day. No wonder everyone always claimed to have found Jesus in prison — he seemed to be the one person it was impossible to avoid. And Jude was so desperate he almost thought about it. After all, god offered hope, and he could really use some right now. And maybe he could smuggle out some communion wafers.

But maybe god thought he was getting the punishment he deserved. And he didn't really want to find out.
But maybe he also had god to thank for Axel and his other cellmates, with their borrowed books, Twinkies, and words of encouragement. Two of them had done time on the chain gang, too, and had gotten through it.

But no. He didn't need church. He didn't need a miracle to make his quota. He just needed to work harder.

Description
On Sundays growing up meant leisurely mornings with his parents reading the newspaper, barbecues, watching football games, riding bikes with his best friend Rafe -- the one he hadn't seen in years, the one who had gone east to university -- or hanging out at their secret clubhouse in the woods. Normal, everyday things. He idly wondered how Rafe was spending HIS Sundays. Hanging around the dorm? Studying in quiet library stacks? Idyllic nature hikes? Kissing a beautiful girl? All of the above?

He really needed to stop torturing himself like this. He was being tortured enough.

Now it meant six hours of hard labor instead of 12. The library was closed on Sunday, of course, and that was the only place Jude was interested in.

The only place to go was one of 12 church services they were offering all through the day. No wonder everyone always claimed to have found Jesus in prison — he seemed to be the one person it was impossible to avoid. And Jude was so desperate he almost thought about it. After all, god offered hope, and he could really use some right now. And maybe he could smuggle out some communion wafers.

But maybe god thought he was getting the punishment he deserved. And he didn't really want to find out.
But maybe he also had god to thank for Axel and his other cellmates, with their borrowed books, Twinkies, and words of encouragement. Two of them had done time on the chain gang, too, and had gotten through it.

But no. He didn't need church. He didn't need a miracle to make his quota. He just needed to work harder.