Read the following passage and questions, then choose the right answer from options, the answer should be one of A, B, C, D.

<passage>:
By BILL DOEDE Illustrated by IVIE Stinson lay still in the sand where he fell, gloating over the success of his arrival. "Listen to that, will you?" Stinson said angrily. "Just listen! You earth to this fourth planet of the Centaurian system in an instant. It had happened so fast that he could almost feel the warm, humid "Earthman, wait...." "No!" Stinson shot back. "You've owned this planet for a million years. You have brooded here alone since before my people discovered fire, and in all those ages you never learned self-control. I can't adolescent. Worse." subject my people to the whims of an entity who throws a planetary fit Stinson relaxed. He'd had his say. Sybtl trembled beside him. A small "Stinson," the Sand God said. "You said I was adolescent. You are correct. Do you remember I told you how my people, the entire race, left their bodies at the same time? Do you imagine all of us were sun. Not Sol. What should he call it, Alpha or adults?" "Chronologically, by our standards, I was nine years old." "But you continued to develop after...." sun of this particular solar system. He was right the first time. The sun burned fiercely, although he would have said it was about four Stinson tried to imagine it. At first there must have been a single o'clock in the afternoon, if this had been Earth. Not a tree, nor a bush, nor even a wisp of dry grass was in sight. Everywhere was desert. to drift in the wind—although there was no wind. Stinson backed away. the solar system, the galaxy. Then a returning to the planet. Empty.... base. Then Stinson backed away again. It was changing. Now it became a ?" A frenzied searching of the planet, It stopped. It was about ten feet tall by three feet in diameter at the of civilization passed except in the cavern of the heated pool. Constellations disappeared, new patterns formed in the night sky. The unutterably total void of time—FIVE HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS! And a nine-year-old child brooding over an empty world. "I don't understand why your development stopped," Stinson said. shone obliquely, throwing Stinson's shadow upon the sand. The wind Again Stinson felt the urge to run, or to use the cylinder to project himself somewhere else, but he said, "No!" very firmly to himself. He "No. This is my home." a flash of fear. Instantly he projected himself a thousand miles away. Now he was in an area of profuse vegetation. It was twilight. As he Should he give up and return to earth? Or was there room here for He decided it would not be just, to give up so easily. There was no more. He woke with a ringing in his ears, feeling drugged and sluggish. no meaning for Stinson. The men were dark-skinned, the women somewhat "My name is Stinson," he said, pointing to himself. "I'm from the hurt, but angered him. He left the chains by his own method of travel, poked Stinson with the stick rose, and handed it to him. Still angered, Stinson grasped it firmly, with half a notion to break it over his disappeared. A small cloud of dust settled slowly to the floor. Stinson's face drained pale, and suddenly, unaccountably, he was remained in one spot, though, and he relaxed somewhat. Incongruously, he thought of Benjamin back on earth, and all the others "On the contrary, you have. There is a time and place for everything, though." "No." kissed Stinson's feet. Two of the men came and gave her a brilliant Stinson looked at the wind devil, since it could be no one else "I am Stinson, of the planet Earth." of atoms. It is impossible to move a physical body from one place to "I deserted you?" Stinson cried angrily, "You tried to kill me!" Stinson felt a mental shrug. "It is of no importance. When they arrived occupies my time, to watch them evolve." "You should live so long." exist, almost as soon as those of the sixth planet peoples. I am most body. Then my people set a date. Our entire race was determined to free itself from the confines of the body. The date came." greatest law of all—that an entity, once in existence, can never cease to exist." Stinson was silent, thinking of the endless years of searching through not last. When He is gone they will probably kill us." destroy them. You and your people will have the entire planet." "Destroy them?" Stinson asked, incredulously, "all these people? They silent, and Stinson felt as if he had been taken from some high place When he looked back, the Sand God was gone. Stinson pointed the disintegrating weapon at them and yelled. They soon get out of hand. Then the tube won't stop them. They will rush in. I can't kill them all at once, even if I wanted to. And I don't." They re-entered the cave. Stinson donned the shimmering skirt, smiling as he did so. The others name is Stinson." "We'd better make tracks." " What? my wife. Let's get that straight." "But...." "No buts. Right now we'd better get out of here." and ran. He doubted the wisdom of keeping her with him. Alone, the webfoots were no match for him. He could travel instantly to any spot he was no better than any other man, perhaps not so good as some because he was forty, and How was he to decide if this planet was suitable for his people, Anyway, he decided, pursuit was impossible. They left no tracks on the Stinson's bare feet were numb from walking on ice. Christ, he thought, what am I doing here, anyway? He glanced down at Sybtl and remembered warmer, less dangerous spot. The woman pulled on his arm. "We must hurry!" He clutched the tube-weapon. "How many shots in this thing?" "Shots?" "How often can I use it?" "As often as you like. It is good for fifty years. Kaatr—he is the one you destroyed—brought it from the ship when we came. Many times he has disowned us." Stinson shook his head. "Yes," Stinson said, "and your race no longer exists." drove them backward. "Earthman," the great voice said, "go back to your God went to the sixth planet and burned two of the largest cities, as a Well, Stinson said to himself, that does it. We are better off on voice that speaks only in the mind. He said I must leave this planet." for the first time. "Where is your ship?" "Don't worry. The Sand God travels without a ship, why shouldn't I?" "Now?" "As soon as you are safe. Come." Steam rose from the burned area, charred like a rocket launching pit. They stepped around it carefully. Stinson felt warm air, but there was A high-pitched keening burst suddenly around them. Stinson knew they "The Sand God isn't doing this," Stinson said. "It's only a storm." "I'll leave for a moment," he said. "I'll be back soon." "And you won't come back. You will go to your world." "No. I'll be back." "Promise? No, don't promise. The promises of Gods often are forgotten before the sounds die away." "I'll be back." He disappeared at once, giving her no chance to object again, and went to the desert of sand, where he had first arrived on the planet. He Stinson had never been in a sand storm before, even on Earth. He could He returned to the cave. Soon after, while they sat huddled together, watching the chaos of purposefully. Stinson prepared himself to leave. In spite of his desire "Fiend!" Stinson screamed the word, vaguely marvelling at his own fury. had taken care of that. The fierce sun began its work of drying rocks Stinson ignored him. He glanced down at Sybtl, who sensed that this was

<question>:
Approximately how long was Stinson on the planet before he decided it was home?

<options>:
A 12 hours
B 24 hours
C 36 hours
D 48 hours

<answer>:

B