The Difficult Decision's Deadly Deceitfulness

"Haha, nice try" I guffawed nervously. "Theres no way thats the final ingredient. No way! No way I tell you!"
Melvin said nothing, but his eyes said it all.
It was quite bizarre really, hearing eyes saying "it all", but you get used to these things when you travel in magical circles, or magical lines, or magical quests of any nature really.
"But..." I stammered, "I don't remember needing that ingredient back when I was attempting this potion the first time round. I just needed a Lady Gaga CD and a flame retardant tunic. Surely I would remember an ingredient like that!"
"You'd think so, wouldn't you," Melvin sighed, "But you were probably so stressed out at that stage by the thought of needing your life as an ingredient that you've since blotted that thought from your memory. Maybe you even subconsciously sabotaged your first attempt at the potion, and thats why you've needed to do this quest at all. Did something unexpected happen during your first potion making session?"
I thought back to the traumatic event that started this all, and that fateful moment when I poked at the bubbling ingredient.
It had been rather unexpected.
But unexpected enough that I could have done it myself?
Wouldn't that have made it less unexpected?
Did any of this make any sense?

I rubbed my temples with both hands, and tried to concentrate.
Wait!
I rubbed my temples with both hands...
In astonishment, I realized I had just controlled my left hand on my own.
I went to move it again, but Melvin snatched control back, and the arm moved away.
"Did I just do that?" I asked in surprise.
"No," Melvin snapped, "You're just imagining things. I control this arm, because this is my hand, not yours! Now hurry up and kill yourself!"
I raised one eyebrow, and looked at Melvin quizzically.
He stared back at me, his face devoid of emotion.
Suddenly he broke into a smile.
"Oh come on, Omric, you know I'm only trying to help you."
My quizzical expression intensified, especially since Melvin had gotten my name right for once. Something was wrong...
Melvin laughed nervously.
"You have to do this, buddy. Its part of the potion. I didn't make it up. You want to be a wizard don't you?"
"You didn't make it up?" I muttered to myself.
For a moment, I glanced past Melvins face to his/my hand, which he was holding as far away from me as he could manage.
Before Melvin could react, I moved the arm, and inspected the fingertips.
Melvin snatched control back for a second time, but not before I had noticed a pale blue discolouration around his fingertips.
Evidence of a spell known as 'Rewrites the Written Word'.
"You changed the spell!" I gasped. "Life of Spell Caster was never in the ingredients list at all!"
Melvin's expression darkened, and he glared at me with open malice.
"Very good, Omric," he hissed, "You figured it out. The final ingredient is actually basil, but that would have left you alive! Unless you're allergic to basil, but I couldn't take that risk now, could I?"
"But why, Melvin?" I asked, "Why did you want me to kill myself? I thought we were friends!"
"Ha!" Melvin laughed, "Just because you share a body with someone doesn't make you their friend. You ruined my life. You detached my head from its perfectly good body, and shoved it on to your, frankly, inferior one! And now I'm stuck here! You really think I can go back to my body after all this is over? No! Its gone! My body is no more! My house it probably no more! My cat is probably no more! And I'm stuck here with you! You! And now your mind is taking control of your arm back. Soon I won't be able to control it at all! What happens to me then? I'll just be a head on another person's body, and even that won't be permanent. Your body will reject me soon enough, and that will be the end for Melvin the Incredible! Doomed to die! Unless I can kill you first! Then my mind will take control of your body, and I'll be the one who survives! So, my 'friend', hurry up and die!"
And with that, my left hand was wrapped around my neck, and Melvin began to choke me to death.

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