The Map with No Finish

Chapter 1 The Folded Paper Daniel found the map while clearing his father's desk. It showed the county roads in pale blue, with five small circles drawn in pencil. On the back, his father had written: Roads I meant to take. There were no dates and no instructions. Daniel almost placed it in the recycling. He had a warehouse job starting Monday, a mortgage payment due, and three weekends of clearing left to do. His father had been good at collecting intentions. Still, the nearest circle lay only twelve miles away. On Saturday, Daniel drove there with an empty flask and a resentment he could not quite explain. The circle marked a bridge beside a disused mill. Nothing announced why it mattered. He stood above the water for ten minutes. Then he noticed a narrow footpath following the bank. For once, nobody expected him anywhere before lunch. He locked the car, filled his flask at the village cafe, and started walking. 1