The stone in my pocket was smooth and cool to the touch as I rubbed it between my thumb and pointer finger.
“The State calls witness Elior Ransom to the stand.”
My stomach dipped, but I stood anyway. Each step felt like I was fighting against a current. Still, I kept my head raised and shoulders back as I walked to where I was supposed to sit—right next to the judge.
I laid my hand on the bible they gave me and swore to tell nothing but the truth, then sat down on the wooden chair.
The tall, composed woman, whom I was told was the U.S. Attorney for the District of Nebraska, stood, approaching the judge and me.
I knew she was technicallyon my side, but that didn’t stop her from seeming intimidating. She was dressed impeccably, her blonde hair pulled neatly into a bun. There was this air about her, like it would be obvious to anyone that she was someone you listened to.
“Good morning, Mr. Ransom,” she said, voice even, unhurried.
“Good morning,” I replied. My voice didn’t shake. That felt like a small victory.
She took a few steps closer to the lectern, hands resting lightly against its edge. “Before we begin, I want to check in with you. Are you comfortable where you’re sitting?”
I blinked, surprised. That wasn’t in the script.
“Yes,” I said after a beat. “As comfortable as I can be.”
A corner of her mouth lifted, just slightly. “That’s fair. If at any point you need a moment, you may ask for one. Understood?”
I nodded.
She continued, “Could you please state your full name for the record?”
I inhaled through my nose, slow and careful. “My name is Elior Ransom.”
“And how old are you?”
“I’m 19.”
“Can you please state where you lived from birth to a few months ago?”
I stared at the edge of the witness box, tracing the grain of the wood with my eyes. “I lived in a secluded community in rural Kansas.”
She nodded. “Yes, and can you share the name of that community?”
“The Covenant of Eternal Light.”
“Is it true that you are the biological son of the leader of that community, Malachi Ransom?”
I didn’t look at him. I couldn’t. Not yet, at least.
“Yes,” I said softly.
“Thank you, Mr. Ransom. Now, would it be accurate to saythat the Covenant of Eternal Light was a religious group? Did the community have religious affiliations?”
I took a breath. “Yes, ma’am. We followed the will of the Light through God.”
“Can you please expound on that, Mr. Ransom?”
I swallowed. My throat felt tight, but not closed. “We believed that the Father is the Voice, the rightful interpreter of God’s divine will. I… I was called the Vessel of Light. Father preached that as a young boy, he received a vision from God, and God told him that he would father the Light-Born Son, who would lead only the loyalest and purest of followers into the New Kingdom on the Day of Burning.”
A murmur rippled through the courtroom. The judge called for order. I stayed still.
The attorney continued, her heels clicking as she paced the floor. “Can you explain what it meant to be this Vessel of Light? What responsibilities did you have?”
