Between measured strokes and subtle flourishes the mapmaker’s daughter dips her quill, carefully blotting the tip before proceeding.

Each night she obediently transcribes the names of fictitious landmarks—phony towns, nonexistent roads, unreachable waterways—her overprotective father designates along longitudes and latitudes that suitors unwittingly follow to God knows where.

Over the years Bob Thurber’s work has received a long list of awards and appeared in 30 anthologies. His most recent book is a collection of brief stories titled Nothing But Trouble. Visit BobThurber.net.