Cole,
I am not a great one for time pieces usually, however yours kept my full attention. You wove a compelling tale, splicing your own creation into history and doing it while keeping the fear, the love, and even the small community feeling to it all. The whispers and gossip were things every small town knew.I like how you included a pastor who could see what was happening, but didn't decide to judge it because he had his own experiences with people. Can't tell you how much I enjoyed it all, even down to the farming, which I have seen and helped with.
Wayne