“We… We should go,” I abruptly decided. I began to fiddle with the switches, and on my third try found the ones that detached us from the cradle with a lurch.
“We have to wait for him!” Minnow exclaimed. “We can’t just leave!”
“We’ll pull him along with us,” I countered. The line kept spinning as it reeled in. I focused on getting us ready to head away. Minnow leapt on my back trying in vain to keep me from pushing the lever to move forward.
Then a pale, eyeless figure darted out of the darkness. As it swam past, undulating unnaturally, I could see sharp teeth in a gaping hole of a mouth. Minnow froze, and then hugged me tightly.
More of the creatures appeared on all sides, racing us as we fled back upwards towards the city. I lost count of how many there must have been. The line abruptly went taut, having entirely retracted. But we couldn’t open the airlock while we were moving. I just hoped that Crankshaft understood.