Spore (Smashwords, 2010)

Review by Lucas McPherson
Author: Ian Woodhead

I'm a fan of many stories starting in media res, so this short story certainly didn't disappoint in the respect that we're introduced to the main character, Alistair Carstairs, after his mother has already become infected with a most decidedly horrible ailment. For example, Alistair's mother experiences truly grisly side effects like "black mucus secreted from the underside of her arm" (p. 3). Further, Alistair's tampering with her tea by adding "an eggcup full of his urine" probably didn't help her out any and is quite gruesomely unpleasant in its own right (p. 2). We later find out that there's a mass kind of infection that's seemingly rather organic (though admittedly repugnant in its side-effects) via its connection with mushrooms (hence the title perhaps since mushrooms have spores?) and that the infection is also said to be mutating and spreading. By the story's end, it appears that Alistair is also infected and about to go out and possibly infect others, but it's not clear. I think that if this storyline were expanded and made into a novella or novel, then it would make for an even better read. However, even just as it is, if gets an "A" for originality for a couple of reasons: 1) With so many stories dealing with men and their "daddy issues," it's great to read about a guy with obvious "mommy issues" for a change and 2) With so many rather post-apocalyptic-world stories, the infections are oftentimes the result of man tampering with synthetic substances; whereas, this story had a more organic feel to it, albeit in a dark and fungally infected kind of way---though it's also possible that the mushrooms and their spores that perhaps caused the outbreaks were infused with inorganic substances like pesticides or chemical fertilizers.
8/10