Sivaram Govindaraj

Author on Reedsy Prompts since Aug, 2019

Stories (248)

248 Stories

1590 karma pts

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“BONDED BY FIRE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #64

It was a Monday morning and Jay got up in bed. She saw her husband Lal snoring near her and let him sleep. Walking out of the bedroom she looked at herself in the mirror on the dressing table nearby. She was justifiably proud of her features. She was said to be beautiful. With her dense black hair piled high on her head she looked like a well-known film star.  She knew she couldn’t waste much time at the mirror at that hour and went on to use the bathroom. She then dropped the used clothes in the washing machine and went into the kitche...

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“A GHOST STORY” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #64

He was no ordinary joe. He was a professor with a doctorate in psychology and had presided over many international conferences in India as well as abroad. An authority on ghosts, he had written books about them. In the consultancy in his home that morning, he got a call and answered “Yes. I’m Prof.Jo.” The caller said “I’m Col.Hardy retired from the Indian army. I want to consult you regarding a house I’ve inherited. It’s said to be ghost ridden.” Jo said “I’m interested. I suppose you know my address. Do drop in and we could discuss.” ...

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“APPLE OF PARADISE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #63

While picking  apples we could remember the apple of paradise: That which has the mark of a bite on one side to commemorate the bite of Eve. In the narration below, we shall see an effect of an Eve- bite!  Names of sportspersons are modified by media to suit their convenience. An Indian tennis star whose initials were HG was expanded and he was always referred to as Hugo. His wife was also a tennis star and was referred to as Shirley. They lived in a spacious house near the city of Dehra Dun in India which had a room full of trophi...

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“A MESSAGE IN TIME CAPSULE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #62

 Insertion in time capsule: 2020Target year of unveiling time capsule: 2520 (Time capsule could either be buried or launched into space and retrieved after 500 years.)Subject of message sent into time capsule: Beliefs and happenings of 21st century.in India.Narrative of one case:AFTER DOOMSDAY!His real name doesn’t matter. He was always called Robin even at Amazon where he worked. At about 20, he was tall, fair and handsome with a trimmed beard in keeping with modern times. His long hair had been hedge cut and a single ear stud sparkled...

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“THE SILVER RATTLE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #61

The invitation dated a month earlier, sent by email, read: “Friends and kin, You are invited to join the get-together arranged at the Jubilee Hall at 10 AM on 14th October 2020 to celebrate the 502nd birth anniversary of Kupp and the lunch thereafter.(sd) Prof.ANK, secretary, Committee of Hosts.” Note enclosed with invitation: ‘ANK is an emeritus professor of Sanskrit and is the author of several books. He is widely known for his contribution to the language. He has attended several conferences on Sanskrit in many countries. He is ...

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“EXPEDITION IN TIME” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #59

Experimental maiden flight of GAIA -1 time machine.  Take off: 1st October 2020 1400 hours. Departure from Hammerfest, Norway.  Destination:  2070. Passenger details: Name: Miss Ylva Groop. AGE : 22. Nationality: Norwegian. Occupation: Researcher in social science. Objective of time travel: To study result of our actions on society after 50 years. Countries passenger has travelled in: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Russia. Message to passenger from Pilot in engine room: Welcome aboard! Destination: 10-14-2070 Count down:  Ten, ...

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“STRANGERS WHEN WE MEET” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #58

The man wearing a bright red T-shirt over grey pants was walking along the road that bright Sunday morning. He was handsome, tall and fair, with a receding hairline, and walked with a stoop to the left. He was in a secluded upper class residential area and there wasn’t much movement on the road or pavement that early. He had now reached a 14- floor building WINDSOR, and he looked up at it as the sun glinted off the windows .It was indeed an eye-catching structure! He walked into the compound, crossed the carpeted turf, went beyond the pots l...

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“ MONUMENTAL NEGLECT” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #57

The year 2020: There was a massive gathering at Lindeck Square that evening where the Chief Minister was to install the statue of former CM Sheela. The area was festooned with flowers with a big banner welcoming the CM. The function which was to start at 6 was delayed by nearly half an hour, and the restive crowd was noisy. After the invocation, the welcome address, and the garlanding, the CM was requested to address the gathering. There was pin drop silence as he started his speech. He said “Friends, I first wish to apologize for being late...

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“THE MAID'S TALE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #56

THE MAID’S TALE The residential building is slender and tall. Not very tall.  6 floors with one apartment in each. Looking at it, I would often wonder how if one more floor were added, the building could be blown down by a heavy gust of wind! However the architect had given it a nice finish and it looked great when illuminated at night. We live on floor 5 and Tara has been working for us as maid since the past few years. Not only for us: She works for the Roy family on the first floor besides for the Sen family on the 3rd floor. My wife...

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“FAMILY SECRETS” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #55

I am not clannish but I am interested in knowing about my ancestry. My father and grandfather were the only two who could give me some details. They started by telling me about a big landlord named Satya with two wives Devi and Rani, who had lived over two centuries ago in Tipu Sultan’s reign. I was told that we were all descended from him. I wanted to hear more but they could only give historical details: Tipu was against the British rulers and there were frequent encounters between the armies. British troops led by Col.Jones once planned a...

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“SECOND CHANCE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #54

I am a retired medical specialist, and my wife Jay is a child psychologist who runs her own clinic to correct children with problems like autism, attention deficit disorder, schizophrenia and the like. We have a son John who is a polymath: He is a writer, talk show host, and has penned, acted in and produced plays. He has his own team and they are now on a tour of England displaying their talent there. It was Sunday morning, when Jay and I had finished our breakfast. I was lounging on a canvas backed easy-chair on the sit-out facing the gard...

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“HEAT WAVE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #53

Mustafa, a house painter, lay on a coir rope cot in the small one room unit of the slum. It wasn’t yet midday but the sun was already showing how fierce it could be: Following high temperatures of the last two days, a heat wave was predicted and soon the atmosphere would be a cauldron. His ill-health apart, the pandemic  had prevented Mustapha from going out to work as all construction work had come to a standstill. Inside the room the heat was blistering as there wasn’t even a fan. He had to leave the door shut as hot breezes would oth...

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“PINKY'S CHOICE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #52

Elections are always exciting. Candidates importune, promise the sky, spend money in various ways to get their messages across, stoop to dirty tricks and so on to win the race. Mohan had won the elections last time and was a candidate again. He was a law graduate who had won oratorical contests while in college. He was fair, bespectacled with a receding hairline. He would normally be dressed in shirt and pants. Only winter would cause him to wear a pullover. His was an imposing presence at meetings not only due to his height but due to his p...

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“TRAIN NO.33” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #51

It was the time when the British ruled India. It was early days of railways there, and they were expanding the rail infrastructure for commercial and defence reasons moving steel. coal, gravel and the like.  That day in Majra railway station, the staff were busy readying a goods train to go to Chaman. Station master Latif, dressed in railway company uniform of grey shirt and grey pants, was personally supervising the operation. Since it was to be a mostly high gradient run, the train was formed of lesser than the usual number of carriag...

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“THE CHASE” by Sivaram Govindaraj

Submitted to Contest #50

It was early morning when the plane from Kochi landed at Chennai airport. There was the usual rush at the baggage conveyor, and among them were two women who stood by to find their bags. Thais was the elder woman who was about 30, and Xenia who was with her was in the twenties. Both of them had good facial features and were dressed in jeans with matching tops. They picked up their suitcases and walked along towards the taxi stand.  Boarding a taxi Xenia said “Take us to Lydgate hotel.” It wasn’t a long drive, and they reached in only ha...

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