"Welcome to the Egyptology basement," Malcolm said turning on the
lights.
"Okay, Malcolm, ready to get clobbered. Maybe I'll put you in a mummy
case?"
"Actually, I think, you've done your worst already."
"What? Why are you dressed like that?"
"Oh, this is an Egyptian slave outfit. Legend has it that the man who
locks this collar in place and holds the key is magically enchanted as
the slave's master. If you were to take the key, I would be your
total slave in body, mind and soul."
"Kinky? You're volunteering to be my slave? I suspected you were gay,
but I-"
"No, you idiot! You're going to be my slave, only you'll be me and
I'll be you."
Malcolm sets fire to a brazier filled with pungent smelling herbs.
"According to the ancient Book of the Dead, in the presence of Bast,"
Malcolm said nodding toward the Cat Goddess statue behind him, "With
the proper ceremony a transmigration of souls can be induced. In
layman's terms, I'm going to rip your soul out of your body, and put
mine inside your body and trap your soul in mine. Then I'm going to
use the magic collar to permanently enslave you in my old body."
"That's just crazy! Do you mean getting us thrown out of the gym naked
was part of your plan? How the fuck did you get Dwight to go along
with it?"
"Oh, that wasn't Dwight - it was his body, but it was Aaron Brubaker's
soul inside it. You remember Brubaker, the head of the chess team?"
"Wait you're serious? Wha- I feel so sleeeepy," moaned Blaine as the
incense drifted around him drugging him.
"Bast! Gracious and generous, goddess, I invoke your powers transform
we two mortals as our vessels might pass on the Nile. So our bodies
pass here. Our souls are merely passengers in our bodies, let my soul
step from my vessel into Blaine's and let Blaine's soul step from his
vessel into mine," intoned Malcolm.
"Whoa? Is this what they mean by out of body experiences?" asked
drunken sounding Blaine. He felt his soul grabbed and thrust out of
his body. He felt so cold and naked. Then he was slammed against
Malcolm's chest. It felt warm as his soul flowed into the warm body.
He blinked. He was staring up at his own face.
"Now to make you my slave boy for eternity, Malcolm," Blaine heard his
own voice say.
He was disoriented. He saw his hand reach for his throat. There was
the sound of metal scraping. He had a sudden epiphany.
He looked up at his naked body holding the bronze key. Then he fell to
his knees. Blaine heard Malcolm's voice groveling as it said,
"Master, I realize my lowliness in the scheme of things. I am your
slave to do with as you will."
Blaine didn't stop to think about the fact that he had just had his
body and life stolen by a nerd, or that he now was that nerd. He had
been bodyswapped, and enslaved. He should've been angry or at least
upset. Instead the magic collar around his neck made him both
accepting and grateful for his new circumstance.
The new Blaine laughed. This was easier and more successful than he
had imagined. "It's almost too easy."
The brazier lights flickered in Bast's opal eyes. Nothing is ever this
easy. It had been centuries since Bast had had any really good
entertainment. The characters had been recast, now the play was ready
to begin.