Immune

by Michael McBride

The Warsaw Pact is officially dissolved. An amateur video captures the beating of Rodney King. The Gulf War is over. Nirvana releases the album Nevermind. The Soviet Union collapses.

The year is 1991, and the world is changing.

For Landon Crane, the future couldn’t look brighter. He’s madly in love with a beautiful girl who’ll be leaving with him for college in just over a month. The small mountain town of Mineral Springs will be hosting the largest Independence Day celebration in its history to welcome home war hero Travis James, highlighting the ultimate summer of freedom.

The year is 1991, and nothing will ever be the same.

Travis has returned with more than the Medal of Honor. He’s brought something else with him, something capable of inflicting unimaginable pain and suffering. Before the night is through, Landon and the rest of the residents of Mineral Springs will be forced to answer the most terrifying question of all.

Who among them will survive?

Genres: Horror

69 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Michael McBride was born in Colorado and still resides in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains. He hates the snow, but loves the Avalanche. He works with medical radiation, yet somehow managed to produce five children, none of whom, miraculously, have tails, third eyes, or other random mutations. He writes fiction that runs the gamut from thriller to horror to science fiction...and loves every minute of it.

Reviews

[Karl · Rating 5 out of 5]

A bit of a change in Michael McBrides "Immun3" you may innocently think.

What appears to be a teenage coming of age tale about an overprotected son by his widower father as the "coming of age" soon turns on it's heel and kicks us in the face multiple times.

It's fourth of July, and the whole town is celebrating a returning war vet. The hot dogs and hamburgers will be supplemented by the U.S. Army sponsoring a giant fire works display. And of course the whole town, consisting of about one thousand citizens show up to enjoy the proceedings. But our hero Landon Crane wants to sneak away from his father to get some alone time with his girl friend, one of the prettiest girls in town.

Sounds sweet doesn't it ?

[Kimberly · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars, rounded up. McBride's fiction has so much "reality" to it, that it's all too easy to see his stories actually happening. A very fast, engrossing novella with characters that are "alive" to the reader from the very beginning. I've yet to read something by Michael McBride that I haven't enjoyed immensely!

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5*

[Amit · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well that's came out as a surprise for me. A very interesting short fiction indeed to read. This the type of short tale which made you wish to read more...

It's 4th of July and the whole town enjoying the return of a Town Hero of there. But what appears in the end was something that the people could never imagine in their dream. Landon Crane, He’s madly in love with a beautiful girl named Panny Davis who’ll be leaving with him for college in just over a month but not everything came as the perfectly like the plan. The US Govt. using their military with something against their own people but what exactly the reason and what was it? Who knows but Landon knew one thing for sure, from there he had to do something to change the move to survive himself and then,,, well you do have to read the story to reveal the truth...

A Total 5 from me...

[Linda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Haunting! I've read quite a few stories lately. Many of them failing to leave my memory which is a good thing in most cases. I suppose that means that the author has succeeded in leaving his indelible mark within my gut and soul. Some stories are scary and fearful because of the gore. Immun3 is the most frightening and sickeningly gut wrenching novella because ....well, it could be a reality? Much like "Blood Wish" as well as Padavona's "Quilt" this one pulls no punches, shoots straight through with no room for an extra paragraph. You will hold the book in your hand when you're finished to reflect back on what you just read. Pack up your survival gear before heading out to the next town picnic or ball game and don't forget to keep a lookout over your shoulder.

[Matt Egan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Short, thrilling outbreak novella

Immune tells the story of a town used as guinea pigs for a manmade virus with a 97% fatality rate, resulting in the death of all but 1 resident. He then embarks on a quest for revenge. This is high quality writing for a novella. If you enjoy government conspiracies, outbreak thrillers or just want a fast thrilling ride, check out Immune! 4/5 stars!

[Janina s. Asselin · Rating 3 out of 5]

Quick read

Short story but a good read. In usual McBride manner he is not satisfied with picking the scab off a wound, he likes to poke it with a stick too. In other words, some parts are a little over the top (gross) but not a surprise. Government testing a bio weapon on innocent civilians, need I saw more?

[Lorrie Wolf vanblarcom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, fast, scary, well written

Wow, fast, scary. Well written tale. It's scary cause it could happen. It probably has hap pop ened in the past. I couldn't stop reading. I wish it was longer.

[Valadia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Makes you think...

And I think it is 100% believable. As a US Army disabled veteran, with what I have seen and personally experienced... This absolutely could happen.

[Lottie · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very frightening, but thought-provoking novel.

[Timothy Youngs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fast and scary story. It adds to my fear of US goverment.