"Feast with a Few Strangers" is a short Cthulhu Mythos story by the late American author and editor Edward P. Berglund. It was first published in the Fred C. Adams-edited chapbook anthology Spoor Anthology by Fort Necessity Press in 1974.
Synopsis[]
Writer George Drury, seeking inspiration for his works in a decaying old graveyard, encounters a trio of hobos who invite him to dine with them before regaling him with tales of their encounters with the supernatural. As the last one finishes his story, the three men begin to change into horrific monsters, and reveal that, rather than joining them for a meal, Drury is to be their supper for the evening.
Behind the Mythos[]
Despite being encountered in a graveyard and consuming human flesh, the creatures which the three men transform into do not resemble the common depiction of ghouls, being described thusly: "Their beards were gone. In fact, there was no hair anywhere on their faces, not even eyebrows or eyelashes. The skin of their faces looked sort of rubbery, as if it just hung on their skulls". Further, "their teeth … had been sharpened to razor-sharp points".
Mythos Connections[]
One of the men mentions that if Drury was one of their kind, he "would have to give a blessing to Mordiggian before the meal".
Publication History[]
Since its first appearance in Spoor Anthology, "Feast with a Few Strangers" a slightly altered version was also included in the first issue of abortive Cthulhu Mythos zine In Lovecraft's Shadow, edited by Ron Shiflet and published by Tenoka Press in March 2007.