It wasn't right. Jack knew beyond a shadow of a doubt and he couldn't understand how everyone in this little hick town could condone such a practice. Slavery, of all things! The practice had been dead for 150 years, and here the denizens of this small town had revived it by enslaving a race of half-penguin, half-city elf. Jack thought he would be able to handle his family's move to this town, but he had not expected this.
Jack looked around the church, fuming silently at the parishioners as the priest carried out the mass. The slaves stood up front, looking meek and abashed. Jack felt the rage growing within him.
The priest reached the halfway point in the mass and everyone stood up to take a small break. The penguin-city elves filed slowly to the back of the church.
Jack turned to a large, greedy-looking man and said, "How can you people do this? It's unbelievable! Look at those slaves! Do they look happy?! They look like regular people!!"
The large man sneered at Jack contemptuously. "You know nothing. Those aren't people, they're slaves!" He laughed uproariously.
Jack stared into the man's eyes and knew that he hated him. He was filled with a burning, blinding anger, and he knew he wouldn't be able to control himself. He would fight this man.
"I'm going to fight you," said Jack evenly, barely able to control his rage.
"Ha! You, a little weakling? You don't even know how to fight." At this Jack, threw a punch. It landed lightly on the man's chest, and Jack knew that the man was right. Jack had no strength or technique, which angered him even more. He began to jump around lightly on his feet, fists cocked.
The fat man sneered again. "You can't fight with me. Now, this guy, this guy can fight!" The fat man gestured to another, solidly-built fellow. This third man turned around, and the fat man and the fighter began punching each other.
Jack was incensed. He was supposed to be the one fighting. He maneuvered between the pair so he could get a clean shot at the fat man. He punched the man as best he could, and his feeble attempts only succeeded in drawing perplexed stares from the fighter and the other parishioners. Jack vented his rage physically on the fat man until the break was over and the churchgoers returned to their seats. The fat man left with barely a scratch and Jack sat down in the pews.
It wasn't long before Jack knew he couldn't stay. He was more angry than he'd ever been, he hated this town and its people and their customs. He decided to leave church. When everyone stood up for the sign of peace, Jack grabbed his jacket and violin and turned around to The Mother in the pew behind him.
"Meet me in back," he told her.
They both quietly made their way out of the church as Jack explained about his anger. They left the sanctuary and entered the spaghetti kitchen at the back of the church. A server brought them plates of spaghetti, and Jack started eating. In his preoccupied state he didn't notice a woman walk up.
"Did you know, I'm your server?" she said.
Jack looked up and stared at her. "Okay..." he said.
"I just wanted you to know that I was your server," she said before walking away.
Jack knew he couldn't stay in this town.
