You’ll need a timer for this prompt. If you don’t have one, you can use this website: BLAM!

You can also use writeordie.com.

There is a giant Kraken in the sea that hasn’t been seen in a millennium and you decide to go look for it.

In order to book a space on the next excursion, you need to to prove your underwater survival skills to the adventure director. Free write for the next five minutes. If you write 300 words, you’re worthy. If you don’t, keep trying until you’ve written 300 words in 5 minutes (or you hit your word count).

Head to the pier and find the helicopter they chartered. It’s about a 15 minute flight to get to the boat in the deep ocean, so write for the next 15 minutes.

You get to the boat and find out there’s an excursion leaving in two minutes. Go put your stuff away. If you can write 100 words in the next two minutes, you’ll make the next excursion. If you miss it, you’ll have to wait for the next one and write for another 30 minutes.

The ocean is so peaceful. It’s hard to believe so many people are also looking for the Kraken. You start talking to a fellow cryptozoologist and trade stories from the field. They mention that they’ve been training for eight years for this venture. They ask you how long you’ve been training. Time yourself to find out how long you can write without stopping– the number of minutes you are able to write before the warning comes up on Write or Die is also the number of years you’ve been training.

You’re at the drop off point. You put on your gear and splash into the water. There’s a familiar bubble up ahead, they’re all over the world. Supposedly that’s where the deities and monsters are cordoned off. Humans and objects can’t get through the bubbles, but everyone still tries. You swim around the bubble, marveling at its structure while looking for an access point. You’re about to give up when suddenly the bubble disappears. What was empty sea moments ago is now teeming with life, not all of it looks friendly. You catch the attention of a beautiful mermaid, but as she gets closer you see she has teeth like a shark. You swim as fast as you can to get back to the boat as the mermaid swims after you. If you can write 500 words in five minutes, you make it back to the boat safely but disappointed that you didn’t get to see the Kraken. If not, you’re fish food. (Feel free to repeat the last until you make it back to the boat safely.)