Sivaram Govindaraj

“THE GOOD SAMARITAN” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #96

It was Covid time and a lockdown was in force. It was past 7 in the evening. I was working from home making out an important report when my head ache started. I asked my wife for some coffee but even taking that didn’t reduce the pain. I searched for a pain killer tablet but found it was exhausted. My wife also searched but she also hadn’t any. I have a tenant upstairs and he could’ve spared me one for now, but he had gone somewhere on work and had been detained due to lockdown. I put up with the pain for a while but then it increased. I cal...

14 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“THE MAN WITH THE MOLE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #96

(This story is set in planet GAIA2 which is earth’s twin about 800 years younger and is evolving.)Commander Paz stood on a man-of- war while on a naval exercise planned for bad weather conditions in night time. The bad weather suddenly turned severe causing his ship to founder in deep sea. He and 14 others were swept away in the waters. Paz was lucky to seize an oar and remained floating till he was cast on the shore. In the morning, when he opened his eyes, he saw he was lying on the shore with 2 females guarding him. He said in a low voice...

13 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“HAIL FELLOW WELL MET” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #96

Our guest room was mostly empty as we had very few guests coming to our place or even this town. The room would be swept only once a week and I would check its facilities once in a while. The ceiling fan regulator had to be changed and I got it done. The room’s AC was in order. The bathroom fittings were all in good working condition. My wife said “Why are you so bothered about that room? We’ve no guests.” Of course she knew my habit of keeping every facility in the house in good working condition. I would go for a walk in the early morning ...

16 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“SPIRITED HELP” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #96

(This story is set on earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is behind us in age but is evolving.) Early that morning, as the canister reached the shore, Fling the fisherman picked it up and opened it. Dense smoke erupted from it and a genie appeared before him. The genie said “Stranger, I’m a strange visitor to this town. I had been imprisoned by a bad element and will take care of him suitably later. I want to reward you for releasing me. Make a wish.” Fling couldn’t answer immediately and merely said “Make me rich.” “Done” and the genie disappe...

11 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“THE RETURN” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #96

After reading the prompt, I recalled a story I had read somewhere: An American citizen, say Joe, has been several times to work within the Arctic Circle. He had befriended many Eskimos there and had stayed at their homes.  The exotic hospitality of the Eskimo was to share the wife with the guest for the duration of the stay. Later Joe gets married and boasts to his wife Daphne  about his experiences in the icy wilderness. One day as Joe and Daphne were conversing there was a knock on the door and Joe opens  to see a man, ...

12 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“OPENING THE RIGHT DOOR” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #95

Reading the prompt made me think of the famous novel LADY OR THE TIGER By Stockton: A certain king to punish crimes would place the offender in an arena with two doors. Behind one of them is a hungry tiger, behind the other a beautiful maiden. The offender would take his chance to wed or be devoured by the tiger depending on which door he chose to open signifying  happiness or ruin. We face many dilemmas in life: Which property do I buy? Which woman do I marry and so on. In the process some face the hungry tiger. I will tell you about&n...

12 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“HOBSON'S CHOICE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #95

(This story is set in earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is about 800 years behind us and is evolving.) The King of Colada was having a shortage in revenue funds to meet the civic needs of the people. He summoned his prime minister (PM) and said “You know we are meeting various needs of our population using funds collected by taxes and levies. However I find revenues are wanting. I want your views on augmenting our revenue.” PM said “Your Highness, I had expected this call and have come prepared. The wizard woman Wizma is also available to tel...

11 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“DELPHIC DECISION” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #95

Should she or shouldn‘t she accept him? Please read what happens! Agriculturists normally reside in rural settings. Accordingly Lal who was a land owner and farmer lived in a village with his family which consisted of him, his wife and his daughter Lisa. Mehta, a dealer in agricultural products and inputs also preferred that village and lived there not far from Lal’s place. Both Lal and Mehta were moneyed and jointly sought to preserve and grow their wealth. To this end Mehta’s son Arvind was informally engaged to Lisa. Coming to Arvind...

13 likes 3 comments 3

Read story

“VIEW INTO A LIFE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #94

I am Kate and I am 27. I am tall and look attractive. I’ve been married 2 years to Ted, a research scientist. I am qualified to be a journalist but I have not taken up a job though I had the opportunity. This morning after breakfast, I was at home watching TV. I really didn’t care for what was being shown and switched it off. I thought why not clean up the showcase? I got up and finding a photo album on top, took it down and seated on a sofa started looking into it. The pictures had been carefully arranged chronologically with...

10 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“HAPPENINGS ON RUBI ISLE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #94

(This story is set on earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is about 800 years behind us and is evolving.) Zip was a young man living in small Rubi isle. He was about 22 and was handsome with a muscular build. He was the son of a notorious bandit who had been exiled to Rubi. The bandit had stored his wealth in the island and it now belonged to Zip. Zip was by nature a quiet person and preferred to live peacefully on Rubi. Once in a few days Cuz would bring his ship with supplies for Zip which the latter would pay for in kind from what his father h...

9 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“SHE DARE NOT” by Sivaram Govindaraj

He decided he would not let his anger cool. He would challenge the woman who had ruined his political life. She would have to accept his dare! This is how it started:The video was on. It showed a middle-aged lady in a sari seated facing a tall white man in a brown suit. It started abruptly the male voice saying “......for execution of the deep underground tunnel project to our company. We are gearing up to complete the project well before the planned inauguration date.”The female voice now said “We have full confidence in your ability.”The m...

1 like 0 comments 0

Read story

“THE MISSING GAMBLER” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #93

(This story is set in Earth’s twin planet GAIA2 which is about 800 years behind but is evolving.) A young man named Zel lived on the island of Rumba. Having no skills or a job, and lacking money to support himself and his wife Lika, he had turned to gambling. With money from her parents, the wife ran the family. She was head over heels in love with him and in return for her meeting household expenditure, she had insisted that he should be loyal to her and not take another woman for wife. As days passed, Zel increasingly gambled trying to mak...

15 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“WHEN WORDS FAIL” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #93

Charlie was a software engineer and worked for a large firm. He was usually taciturn, a retiring person and would avoid even eye contact when faced with a crowd. He was a young man and was single though he was friendly with his colleague Irene. Charlie was well read and had even ideas of writing a novel. In this connection he had been introduced to Myrtle who was the executive of a publishing company. She was about the same age as Irene and the two women had known each other. Charlie thought highly of Myrtle. After they were well acquainted,...

15 likes 2 comments 2

Read story

“THE PINCH” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #92

The bungalow ROMOLA was old but spacious with many windows and a large garden. It was on the outskirts of the city and had been built with a high roof such that the heat outside wouldn’t seep in and windows such that sunlight wouldn’t overly brighten up the inside. Daly had his eye on the bungalow and decided it would be the ideal place for his wedding. The guests could be accommodated within and events such as garden parties could be held in the spacious garden with place for an orchestra. Daly knew the bungalow was vacant and had been told...

12 likes 0 comments 0

Read story

“ZAP'S GOLD” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #92

(This story is set on planet GAIA2, earth’s twin, which is about eight centuries behind but is evolving.) I am Minz, a resident of Rumba. I am a young man and am a good archer and good at chariot racing besides. My father had been a captain of a ship, and early on I became a good swimmer and could captain a ship as well. I was fond of frequenting Marine Bar where seamen would gather. That evening I was there when an elderly man dropped in. Somebody told me “That is Captain Col retired after many years of seafaring.” My interest was aroused a...

13 likes 0 comments 0

Read story