Chapter Thirty

                                    

                                          


                          
They were back on their journey shortly after their sojourn. They were approaching Annapolis and the remainder of the journey appeared to be going smoothly. Elijah contemplated what crossing the border into Maryland would mean. It would be much easier to move Ayo once they got across the border. It would mean less time to convince her of his love for her and of hers for him.
                          
Ahead of them, the path was blocked by a large tree branch. Three men on horseback stood on either side of the road brandishing rifles.
                          
"Where you gents headed on this fine morning." The first man asked as he adjusted his dirty hat covering mousy brown hair, a sooty face, and a smile full of rotten teeth.
                          
"My friend and I are headed to Baltimore, friend" Elijah replied as Thomas' eyes shifted nervously from man to man.
                          
"Ya'll must be from Merry Ole London huh? Don't get too many of ya'll in these parts." The second man was bald, he wore a red scarf tied loosely around his neck and a worn blue shirtsleeve. He spat out some tobacco chew as he strung his rifle across his saddle and leaned down resting on one arm to focus on the pair.
                          
"Ain't it a little strange that these here British boys traveling across the country in that ole wagon with nothing but hay?" The third man said as he pointed a scrawny finger at the pair of men in the wagon. He was tall but thin with string blonde hair and green eyes.
                          
"We don't want any trouble gentlemen. We're just two friends traveling to visit Baltimore in hopes of purchasing some items, hence the empty wagon. The hay is for our team of horses." Elijah said sitting up a little straighter hoping these three would by the story and not disturb the contents of the wagon. He glanced over at Thomas who had a noticeable gleam of sweat coating his forehead. He said nothing but appeared anxious and out of place.
                          
The first man urged his horse around the wagon as he studied them. Thomas' eyes following him nearly every moment of the way. Elijah placed his hand on his friend's shoulder. It was all he could do to prevent Thomas' fear of giving them away.
                          
"By what right do you, gentlemen, delay our travels. Have you a document or a signed parchment that gives you authority to question passers-by?" Elijah said heatedly. Thomas glared at him, slightly begging him not to agitate these men.
                          
"We have every right! We are here under the authority of the Virginia Governor to seek out stolen property." The first man spat. "Many people try to sneak them no account niggas cross state lines and we are here to stop the theft and damage of personal property."
                          
Elijah snarled regarding the man with disgust. It was people like him that kept the South eternally rooted in the principles of hate and injustice. "What does that have to do with us. As I said we're on our way to Baltimore. Either do what you were hired to do or get out of our way." Elijah challenged. Thomas visibly blanched. He looked peaked; ready to vomit at any given moment. He did not handle confrontations well.
                          
The second man with a bald head wheeled his horse around the back of the cart. "You don't mind then if I poke around a bit." He said as he viciously jabbed the butt of his gun into the pile of hay coating the floor of the wagon. Although Elijah's face remained impassive, he silently prayed that Ayo would make herself small enough not to be discovered. After a few tense moments of not finding anything to suit his satisfaction, the man pulled his horse away.
                          
"Find anything there Kyle?" The blonde man questioned.
                          
"Nah, it's empty like he said"
                          
The brown-haired man jumped off his horse and pulled the large branch out of the path.
                          
"You two should get going then," He said sternly. Elijah nodded and urged the horses forward past the barricade. They rode a short distance from the checkpoint when Ayo's small voice floated up asking to stop. They had hardly pulled off the road when she bolted from the wagon and emptied the contents of her stomach on to the cold ground. She only walked a few feet back to the wagon when she felt a hand grabbing her hair.