With some ten hours’ journey before them, Mr. Dare, English teacher and his colleague at first thought of accepting Pa Chukwuka’s advice that they should stay till Monday morning. Pa Chukwuka was an 80 year-old gatekeeper at the secondary school where Mr. Dare taught. But, Mr. Dare knew that the senior classes which he handled would almost be paralyzed for a whole day if he and his colleagues should stay on. That he did not like. So, the journey started and a little later, it began to rain heavily.
In spite of this, the five cars sped on. They crossed the River Niger a little after 4p.m., and Asaba was soon behind the travelers. In front was Mr. Dare’s car with his two relatives, himself and his bride.
Their mission was the formal marriage ceremony. Behind them was the principal’s car.
Gradually, the convoy went on. Yet, for hundreds of kilometres, the rain persisted; lighter in some places, heavier in others but present in one form or the other throughout.
Darkness fell little by little over the landscape. The accident that almost claimed their lives struck them a few kilometres outside Abah-Unor. The on-coming lorry dazzled him with its powerful headlights. As it went towards him, his bespectacled eyes were momentarily blinded. He swerved off the road for the devil of the long lorry. Regrettably, because of the muddy, wide gutter which worsened the swerve, by the time the lorry had gone past, Mr. Dare and his fellow travelers were struggling to get off the terrible fire that started after the accident.
QUESTIONS:
What had the travelers been told before the journey started?
Why did Mr. Dare and his colleagues decided to travel in spite of the advice?
When did they drive past Asaba?
How many people were in Mr. Dare’s car?
What was the mission of the travelers?
Where did the accident occur?
What led to his momentary blindness?
What was the result of the accident?