The Road Without a Name

The route was marked in pencil on a map bought with a box of secondhand books. It climbed beyond the village and ended at a tiny square labeled Only if you have time.

Sam wanted a photograph. Leila wanted a walk without notifications. Ben wanted to prove that their weekends could still contain something besides errands. They agreed to turn back before evening and told the guesthouse owner where they were going.

For an hour, the path was obvious. Then a fallen tree blocked the marked turn. Sam argued that the map must be wrong. Leila pointed at the broken branches. "Things can change without anybody being wrong."

They checked their water and looked for the nearest safe route back. Beyond the tree, somebody had tied a strip of yellow cloth.