Root: Part III, Chapter 5

Having reluctantly joined her parents for their morning prayer ritual, Hasta receives a most unexpected communication—and a sacred mission.

For more on this project, please see “This Year a Serial Takes Root.”

5.0 Hasta

Hasta jumped up from the couch, filled with black despair. Earlier that night she would have given anything to be home again, but now it was the last place on earth she wanted to be.

An oval mirror hung near the couch. Through a ripple of gathering tears, she glared at her refl…