The Presentation

"The Presentation" is a short Cthulhu Mythos story by the late American author Michael Shea.
==Synopsis==
A chance street encounter with a prophet of Cthulhu kickstarts a movement amongst the artistic community of San Francisco. As the prophet gains influence in the city, the artists are hired to paint an enormous mural, one which opens into a portal to another dimension. When the portal closes, another commission is made, and the community begins to realise what they have initiated, and that it is pointless to resist what is happening.
==Characters==
*Rick Tindal, a gifted artist for the comic book Death Groan Comix, referred to at one point as Mr. Tindalos. A "reasonably compassionate guy" who "prides himself on being a see-er."
*Irving, aka Rat, Rick's friend and fellow Death Groan artist. He is "one of corporate America’s eternal adversaries."
*Mark, Rat's stepfather. An entrepreneur who owns the loft where Death Groan is published, along with seven other buildings in San Francisco's South-of-Market neighborhood. He has investments in popular videogames like Acute Angle II and Nano-Barbarians III, and "boardroom links with AOL and Time Warner."
*Zed, a street artist--a "spraycan commando capable of Carrivagian compositions"--and writer of half of Death Groan's stories. She is "small and angular," with "black-lidded eyes and purple lips."
*Jackie, Zed's friend and fellow street artist. She has "sharp green eyes and a delicately hawkish nose, like a young falcon."
*Chet Shugrue, aka Chet Shoggua, a prophet of Cthulhu, sent to prepare the Earth for its return. He "looked like some guy in Vogue: lusciously suited, alligator shoes, his face a handsome vacancy."
*Luke Cipher, who conducts a ritual that manifests Chet Shugrue on Earth, involving fire and a token monetary contribution from Rick Tindal. He has "dramatic bones in his brow and cheeks," a tightness in his face that "gave him a kind of skinned look," "remote, impatient eyes," and a "taut and balanced" body. He warns Rick, "You can never unsee what you have seen.”
==Publication History==
"The Presentation" was first published in issue #3 of Allen K's Inhuman Magazine in December 2005. It has since been included in the collections of Shea's own works Copping Squid and Other Mythos Tales (October 2009) and Demiurge: The Complete Cthulhu Mythos Tales of Michael Shea (December 2017).
Category:Michael Shea works
Category:Expanded Mythos Works