Forest bang Thanos Kalamidas A Sheriff Step Chaplin Story Thanos Kalamidas Ovi ebooks are available in Ovi/Ovi eBookshelves pages and they are for free. If somebody tries to sell you an Ovi book please contact us immediately. For details, contact: ovimagazine@yahoo.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the writer or the above publisher of this book An Ovi eBooks Publication 2025 Ovi eBookPublications - All material is copyright of the Ovi eBooks Publications & the writer C Forest bang Forest bang Thanos Kalamidas A Sheriff Step Chaplin Story Thanos Kalamidas An Ovi eBooks Publication 2025 Ovi eBookPublications - All material is copyright of the Ovi eBooks Publications & the writer C Forest bang S heriff Step Chaplin leaned against his creaky desk, his thick fingers tapping a slow rhythm on a cup of cold coffee. The office smelled like old wood, gun oil, and yesterday’s meatloaf—a blend Sisika Cox could barely tolerate. She sat across from him, flipping through a thin file. “Another bear scare over by Johnson Creek,” Sisika said, her tone dry. “Mrs. Abernathy swears it’s a griz- zly, even though we both know it’s probably her dog tipping over the trash cans.” Step’s lips twitched under his walrus mustache. “Grizzly, huh? Someone oughta tell the state park rangers.” Thanos Kalamidas The door burst open, and a logger stumbled in, his face flushed and his plaid shirt soaked in sweat. “Sheriff! You gotta come quick!” Step stood up slowly, his knees popping like old ri- fle bolts. “What’s the matter, Roy? You see Mrs. Ab- ernathy’s grizzly too?” “This ain’t no joke, Sheriff! Found somethin’ out by the north ridge. A bag. Full of money.” Sisika raised an eyebrow. “How much money we talkin’ here, Roy?” Roy licked his lips. “A lot. More than I’ve ever seen. Looks like it’s been there a while, but... it ain’t nor- mal, Sheriff.” Step grabbed his hat, settling it low over his gray- streaked hair. “Lead the way.” * * * * * * The forest was alive with the hum of insects and the whisper of pine needles. Roy guided them through a narrow trail, his boots crunching on dead leaves. He stopped near a fallen tree, pointing to a dirty, weath- ered duffel bag nestled in the roots. Forest bang “There it is,” Roy said, his voice hushed as if the trees were listening. Step crouched and unzipped the bag. Stacks of cash, some of it damp and molded, spilled out. “Well, I’ll be damned,” he muttered. “This here’s gotta be from that bank robbery over in Boise last year.” Sisika glanced around, her hand resting on the grip of her service pistol. “If the thieves left this here, they might come back for it.” Roy’s face paled. “You think they know I found it?” Step straightened up, his hand settling on the butt of his revolver. “If they don’t yet, they will soon. Word travels fast out here. You’d best come back to town with us, Roy.” “No way,” Roy said, shaking his head. “This is my find. I’m not leaving it.” “Listen, son,” Step said, his voice low and firm. “This ain’t a game. You mess with money like this, and bad people come lookin’.” But Roy was already hoisting the bag onto his shoulder. “I’ll keep my chainsaw close. Ain’t nobody takin’ what’s mine.” Thanos Kalamidas Step’s eyes narrowed. “Suit yourself. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” * * * * * * By the time Step and Sisika returned to the station, the sky was an angry shade of orange. Sisika paced the office, her boots scuffing the worn floorboards. “We can’t just leave him out there,” she said. “You know what’s going to happen.” Step leaned back in his chair, lighting a cigarette. “Man’s got the right to be stupid if he wants to be.” “And when the thieves show up?” He exhaled a long plume of smoke. “Then we’ll deal with it.” * * * * * * Night fell over the woods like a black curtain. Roy’s cabin stood alone in a clearing, a single light glowing in the window. Inside, he sat at the kitchen table, the duffel bag open in front of him. A shotgun leaned against the wall, and his chainsaw sat on the counter, its teeth gleaming. The first sign of trouble was the crunch of grav- Forest bang el outside. Roy grabbed the shotgun and peered through the window. A black truck idled in the yard, its headlights off. “Who’s there?” Roy shouted. The only answer was the slam of a truck door. Two figures emerged, shadows against the dark. Roy’s heart pounded as he cocked the shotgun. “I’ll blow your damn heads off!” A voice called back, smooth and mocking. “We just want what’s ours, buddy. No need for blood.” Roy’s hands shook. “Get off my property!” The sound of boots crunching on gravel was his answer. Then the first window shattered, a Molotov cocktail igniting the curtains in a flash of orange flame. Roy roared, firing blindly through the window. The shotgun blast lit up the room, and one of the figures dropped with a scream. The other darted into the shadows. Roy grabbed the chainsaw, yanking the cord. It roared to life, the sound drowning out the crackle of Thanos Kalamidas flames. He charged outside, swinging wildly. The re- maining thief dodged, but Roy’s next swing caught him in the leg. Blood sprayed as the man fell, scream- ing. “I told you!” Roy bellowed, his face lit by the fire’s glow. “This is my money!” A shot rang out, and Roy staggered, the chainsaw slipping from his grip. The third thief stepped out of the shadows, a smoking pistol in his hand. * * * * * * Step and Sisika arrived to find the cabin in flames. Step drew his revolver, motioning for Sisika to circle around. They moved carefully, their boots crunching on the gravel. A man limped out of the woods, his leg soaked in blood. Sisika raised her gun. “Freeze!” The man dropped to his knees, hands raised. “Don’t shoot! Don’t shoot!” Step moved past him, his eyes scanning the fire-lit yard. He found Roy sprawled on the ground, blood pooling under him. The chainsaw lay nearby, its blade slick with gore. Forest bang “Damn fool,” Step muttered, kneeling beside him. Roy’s eyes fluttered open. “Sheriff...” “Stay still, son. Help’s on the way.” “They... they wanted the money...” Step nodded grimly. “I know.” Roy’s breath rattled. “Didn’t let ‘em take it.” His eyes closed, and Step stood up, his face hard. Sisika approached, her gun trained on the remaining thief. “What now?” she asked. Step glanced at the burning cabin, then at the duf- fel bag lying in the dirt. “Call it in. And tell the Feds we found their money.” * * * * * * The next morning, the ashes of Roy’s cabin smol- dered under a pale gray sky. Step stood in the clear- ing, his hat in his hands. Sisika joined him, her face solemn. Thanos Kalamidas “Hell of a way to go,” she said. Step nodded, his gaze distant. “Out here, folks think they can take on the world. But it always catch- es up to ‘em.” He turned and walked back to the car, leaving the forest to reclaim what was left. Forest bang Forest bang A Sheriff Step Chaplin Story Thanos Kalamidas Ovi eBook Publishing 2025 Ovi magazine Design: Thanos Ovi ebooks are available in Ovi/Ovi eBookshelves pages and they are for free. If somebody tries to sell you an Ovi book please contact us immediately. For details, contact: ovimagazine@yahoo.com No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in or introduced into a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form, or by any means (electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise), without the prior permission of the writer or the above publisher of this book An Ovi eBooks Publication 2025 Ovi eBookPublications - All material is copyright of the Ovi eBooks Publications & the writer C Thanos Kalamidas Thanos Kalamidas A Sheriff Step Chaplin Story Thanos Kalamidas , a multipublished writer, cartoonist and illustrator; born and grew up in a picturesque neighbourhood on the moun- tainside of Hymettus in Athens, Greece. Then his life took him to Berlin, Germany and to London, UK for studies. After a brief stay in Yorkshire he moved his life to Paris, France while working in Tokyo, Japan and in Cape Town, South Africa. In the last 25 years he became a permanent Scandinavian resident and recently, in his glorious sixth de- cade, he moved to a scenic village in the Växjö area.