The 24 hour short story challenge

(But you'll get a little more time than that...)

I am fascinated by science fiction writer Harlan Ellison writing short stories in a book store window.

He wrote short stories with everyone watching for years, and people questioned if he already had the stories, so he began to take suggestions for topics from people watching. Chris Carter of X-files fame gave him the topic of a 102-year-old pregnant corpse, and he wrote a story based on that idea.

So thus the idea behind this contest was born. You can write a short story in a short amount of time.
Check out the entries from last week's contest.

Here are the terms of the contest.

Write a short story no longer than 2,000 words, based on the topic phrase.

Here is the topic for you short story:

A test pilot returns to Earth after the first-ever faster-than-light space flight.

Here are the rules for entry

1. Upvote this post.

2. Resteem this post (And actually even you don't enter this contest and you read this post, resteeming this would be greatly appreciated to get the word out for more participants. Thanks!)

3. In your post put a link to this post.

4. Post a link to your story in the comments below.
Entries are due by 9 p.m. EST (New York/D.C. Time) Tuesday May 22. This actually gives you a little over 48 hours from when I make this post. But I want to give more time to allow for more people to enter the contest. Use the tag twentyfourhourshortstory for your first tag. (Don't use # before the tag or it goes over the 24 character limit. 24...24 hour short story contest...Ironic don't you think...)

Feel free to use other tags as you wish.

Prizes are:

5 Steem for First Place.

3 Steem for Second Place

1 Steem for third Place

And depending on how many entries I receive I may give out Steem for other entries. But again that all depends on the amount and quality of posts.

(I am personally putting up the rewards for this contest, there be no whales here capt’in. So upvoting and resteeming helps keep this thing going.)So please upvote with as much power as you can. That helps fund the contest.

Here's what you get for participating, even if you don't win.

1. I upvote every entry, and I resteem every entry to over 1,000 followers.

2. I create a post at the end of every contest and I mention and link to your post. Again going out to over a 1,000 followers.

3. A regular community of participants has developed around this contest and they read and comment on the entries.

4. (Then of course there is the chance for winning some extra Steem!)

Thanks for reading and good luck! Can't wait to see what you come up with.

P.S. If by Friday you see I have not resteemed or upvoted your entry, shoot me a comment. I may have missed it. I am getting more entries to read, and contrary to rumor I am human.