Sivaram Govindaraj

“FLIGHT OF FANCY” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #101

(This story is set in earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is 800 years younger and is evolving.)The Ruby Isle was a prosperous place and Moz was a leading merchant with much wealth. He had an only son Beq who was a handsome young man. The parents were on the lookout for a woman to be his wife. His wife’s choice was one Mumu but before deciding on the future they chose to consult Wizma who was wizard and witch besides being an expert in palm reading. Wizma came and Beq and his mother joined Moz. They were all dressed in traditional pareyous which...

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“REFLECTIONS” by Sivaram Govindaraj

I am no doubt mute but I can reflect. What else do you expect a mirror to do? I have been in the service of the Hawkins since several years. In fact, it was John’s great grandfather who had bought and installed me in the house where I continue. John uses me to comb his thinning hair. Melba is John’s wife. I still remember the time about 27 years ago or so when she was brought home wrapped in a bright red little quilt by her mother who came straight at me to fondle Melba and kissing her while looking at me. Of course, Melba didn’t see me as h...

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“THE MAZE DIAMOND” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #99

(This story is set in earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is about 800 years younger and is evolving.) Vex was a very rich man on the island and he dealt in jewellery and precious stones. He was elderly and had a very young and very good-looking wife Sigma, but he was a miser and denied his bijoux to her. Sigma was very popular and knew a lot of people in the island. One of them was the notorious burglar Zig. Zig was a young man slim and tall and had his eyes and even more on Sigma. Vex kept his stock in trade in a building alongside his own whe...

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“A MEMORABLE ROAD TRIP” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #99

That day as I was seated reading the news paper I called out to my wife who was in the kitchen, When she came I said “Reena it says here that the amusement park CALGARY has opened with a big ,roller-coaster besides other attractions. It seems it is the first such park in India.” She said “That’s at least 100 kilometres away.” “Yes. Our car is new and we could easily reach and return by the evening.” She said “You never let me drive the new car whereas I was free to use the old one.” “You see the roads here are narrow and besides there’r...

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“TURN OF THE HERMIT” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #99

(This story is set in earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is 800 years younger and is evolving.)He is a hermit. It was his 70th birthday and he sat recalling a significant event of his past which happened 20 years ago:‘Far in a wild, unknown to public view/From youth to age a reverend hermit grew;/The moss his bed, the cave his humble cell,/His food the fruits, his drink the crystal well:/Remote from man, with God he pass'd the days,/Prayer all his business, all his pleasure praise./' That introduction can’t be put better than by that poet*...

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“DOG DAY AFTERNOON” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #99

Egyptian Goddess Isis watched the sun rise and set off on her way. It was the hottest part of the day when she was near Glen’s farm. She thought “Why not I slake my thirst and rest here a while?” She softly descended and went into the barn of Glen’s house. A dog – I should say a female dog started sniffing and Isis patted her on the neck. She read the name ‘Melba’ on the collar on the neck and said “Melba, don’t make any noise. I’m goddess Isis come to take rest.” She drank water from a brook and sat on a stuffed wooden bedstead in the barn....

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“SILVER CASCADE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

 {This story is set on earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is 800 years younger and is evolving.} Messages come to us in many ways telling us of possible happenings in the future. One way the premonitions come is through our dreams but normally we tend to forget them until later when something happens to make us remember. For instance a person dreamt that he saw someone struggling in water and came to know a week later that a close kin had died in a ship wreck. Zig had a dream and these are his own words: I am flying atop a large bird with ...

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“THE WAY TO LUCK” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #98

Mr.X was a man who felt he had no luck. Though he was qualified and experienced he couldn’t get a decent job. He had advertised in the matrimonial columns to find a bride. It was a peculiar ad and still he got responses. He had shortlisted those to talk to and excerpts from the matrimonial interviews he faced are reproduced below: Candidate 1 SHE: Though you’re well qualified, how is it you’ve no job? X: They asked me questions which were difficult to answer: For instance after I had passed written tests I was called for interview. The...

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“THE BEE STING” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #98

I am a river in India and come from the snows of the Himalayas. From such a meagre start! And so the sages have rightly said three things not to be asked about: The origin of the river, the past of a saint and the background of a woman. I have flown down eternally undisturbed by thousands bathing in me, humans and beasts drinking from me, ascetics meditating on banks beside me, minstrels singing and dancing in divine ecstasy on the shore, archealogists studying my flow and sampling my water to establish my history, bandits hid...

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“FAR FROM HOME” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #98

(This story is set on earth’s twin planet GAIA2  800 years behind us and is evolving) Zol was a resident of Rubi Isle and lived with his wife. He was a farm hand, and being very lazy had problems balancing his family budget. That evening he sat talking to his wife. He said “I’ve serious money problems. I have even borrowed.” She said “Our family consists of just the 2 of us and you still face financial problems. That is because you’re lazy and gamble a lot.” “That’s the only way I see to make both ends meet. Sometimes I win.” “I told my...

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“THE BROKEN WINDOW” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #97

.(This story is set in earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is about 800 years younger and is evolving.) Once upon a time there dwelt in Rubi Isle a man named Swig who was a farmer. He lived with his wife  Sigma and their only daughter Chili who was now sweet 16.  Swig and Sigma were not very intelligent though he managed their farm well. That day Swig was seated talking to his wife. She said “I keep telling you to repair the broken window upstairs but you’re refusing. Chili sleeps alone there and it worries me.” Swig said “You know th...

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“WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #97

He was known as Spark. How or why that name applied was not known. However he had not a spark for studies: He had given up after passing high school. His father was a college professor and had tried to reignite Spark to study further, but the son remained rigid in refusing further study. Spark was tall and handsome with a mod haircut of his dense hair. He had been a sports aficionado while in school. He now patronized a gym near his home. His time was spent between gym and home. His father’s friend had suggested that Spark could take up the ...

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“HAPPENINGS IN THE NIGHT” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #97

I was standing looking out of my first floor window in the middle of the night as I couldn’t sleep. .Looking down from the window a story by Chaucer in which a window figured, came to mind. It is called MILLER’S TALE. A dense carpenter had a charming wife Alison and they took young Nicholas as paying guest and the woman and guest drew close. Nicholas convinced the carpenter that Noah’s great flood would soon recur. In preparation the carpenter readied 3 life boats and strung them up from his ceiling. He used one of them to sleep in. That lef...

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“KNOCKS ON A WINDOW” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #97

There was a knock on my window and I checked the time. It was well past midnight. I ignored the knock assuming it was due to some nocturnal beast colliding with the window while going after prey. I had been seated absorbed in a desi thriller and I went back to it. I read: ‘It was past midnight when John was walking towards the metro station. He had decided to catch the last train of the day. He now saw an ambulance speeding past, and knowing he still had 20 minutes walked along slowly. John saw the ambulance park near the metro station for a...

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“THE MAGIC WINDOW” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #97

THE MAGIC WINDOW (This story is set in earth’s twin planet GAIA 2 which is 800 years younger and is evolving.) That morning the King was holding court when the Prime Minister (PM) said ”Your Highness we’ve got a famous wizard Magi here who comes from a far off land. He will show his prowess.” Magi said “Your Highness I can enchant a window such that a spirit that goes in will attain human form.” The King said “Let us take a practical case. PM you must remember the case of Bez who was murdered but we couldn’t find out who did it. All people w...

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