It's Gonna Be May

Meet Miss May; Hodriges sure will.

We follow our villain, Hodriges, to a small town in Arkansas called Aloville. Aloville is a peaceful ecosystem, driven by a strong emphasis in education. Leading the pack is a fifth grade language arts teacher at Anderson middle school named May Dakkin. Dakkin is a two-time Teacher of the Year Award recipient and is known for forging close relationships with her students. All her students address her as Miss May, even though she is married, and when they ask her if they can use the restroom she responds “You May!”. She’s fun like that.

Dakkin never knows when her former students will pop in and say hello. They like to tell her about their achievements more than they like telling their own parents. A missed homework assignment is not a mistake or wrongdoing in her class; it’s an opportunity to learn. Students consider Miss May to be more of a friend than an authority and teachers beg guidance counselors to put their children in her classes.

When out-and-about, May can expect that at several people she knows will light up with excitement when they see her. She is as close to being a celebrity as anyone from Aloville has ever been, but she is still very humble.

Last Thursday was field day for the kids and a great day for May. Her kids got last place, but their smiles were bright and wide because she encouraged them no matter what. Since graduation was scheduled for the next day, May made sure to go to bed early so she could be wide awake and over-the-moon proud for all of the students. She called it a good night after a nice family dinner.

The next morning, Miss May woke up at 6:50 so she could shower before getting ready for school. After getting dressed, she exited the bathroom to find Hodriges staring right at her. She tried to scream, but instead felt a spiky wing on her left cheek. May struggled to her feet and drove an iron fist into the assassin’s skull. Though May was short and benevolent-looking, her fist was an entirely different story. With wings and fists flying, May was struggling to hold her ground. Hodriges needed to flee the area when the footsteps of May’s husband approached outside the bedroom door.

Miss May spent the graduation day floating between consciousness and unconsciousness in the local hospital. The following Monday, principal Winlow had the unfortunate job of delivering the news to the school that Miss May had passed away. The yearbook was dedicated in her memory and the town named a park after her. Every once in a while, a former student would return to Anderson Middle School to visit her, only to leave in tears. The cause of her death was never determined.

Remorseless, Hodriges continued on his path, leaving destruction and heartbreak in his wake. He escaped Miss May’s house with several bruises and scratches, but no major damage. He never fully understood what he was doing or why, only that it felt natural to him and seemed to be his purpose in life.