They were like lice, I realized, parasites feeding off of a larger host. But lice were not the size of ponies, and as they left the surface below and swam in my direction, I saw something fearful in their pale eyeless faces and gaping mouths.

I hastily jerked on the line connecting me to Crankshaft back at the submersible, as hard as I could.

By the fourth jerk, it went taut, pulling me backwards...