Key to Nowhere

There it was. The last door we had to open before we could get out of this treacherous place.

"Finally! The last door!" Mark said, jumping up and down in excitement. He turned to me and held his hand out . "Now give me the key, Seth!" I gave him a big smile and reached into my pocket to retrieve the key.

My smile faded when the familiar shape of the key didnt touch my fingers

"Come on, Seth! Give me the key!" Mark urged, opening and closing his hand.

"Just give me a second!" I said shuffling through both pockets. My breathing increased as the time passed. I couldn't find the key.

"Don't tell me that you-" Mark started. My sharp breaths increased to a state of hyperventilating.

"IT was just here!" I replied, my voice shaking. Marks hands clenched into fists.

"You have GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!" Mark screamed. Tears formed in my eyes.

"I'm sorry! I-" Mark cut me off with a sick punch to the face. Pain exploded in my nose, and warm blood started to flow down my face. The impact made me fly back, and hit my head against the wall.

"MARK!" Jessica screamed. "WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU?! HE'S YOUR BEST FRIEND!" Mark stomped up to her and grabbed her arm.

"I DON'T FREAKING CARE, JES!" He roared. "HE LOST THE STUPID KEY! IF IT WEREN'T FOR HIS BEING UNORGANIZED, WE WOULD BE OUT OF HERE, AND MY DAD WOULD BE WITH US AGAIN!" He jabbed a finger in my direction. "ITS HIS FAULT WE ARE STUCK IN THIS HECK HOLE FOREVER!" He started to pull her away from me.

"GET YOUR FILTHY PAWS OFF ME!" She spat, turning her back on him, and walking toward me. "I NEVER WANT TO SEE YOUR STUPID FACE AGAIN! I HATE YOUR TEMPER, I HATE YOUR ATTITUDE, I HATE YOU!" Marks expression shifted from angry, to surprised. He reached out to grab her hand again.

"Wait! Jes! I-" Jessica spun around and slapped his arm.

"WE'RE OVER, MARK!" She roared. Marks face scrunched into another cold frown.

"FINE! GOOD! WE WEREN'T EVEN A THING ANYWAY!" He stomped away from both of us, and sat against the far wall. He buried his face into his knees.

"Seth! Oh my goodness! Are you okay?!" Jessica said. The blood from my nose eventually dripped from my chin, and stained my bright green polo shirt.

"I-I Don't know. " I said. My head still throbbed and my nose was bending in an odd angle.

"That looks bad!" She said.

"IT does?!" I squeaked, trying to touch it.

"Nonono! Don't touch it!" She said. "Hows your head?!" I carefully dabbed at it with two fingers.

"Not bleeding, w-which is good," I said. She helped me sit up. A wave of emotion hit my chest as I looked up into her tear streaked face. "I'm sorry Jes! I'm sorry for being a disorganized freak, losing the key, the reason you hate Mark, the reason-" Jess kissed my cheek to shut me up.

"Nonono! I don't care about any of that! Seth, if we're stuck in here forever, I'm glad it's with you!" My cheeks flushed red.

"W-woah! Really?!" I said.

"You're super sweet! You-" a loud roar cut her off. We snapped our heads toward the direction of the roar and gasped.

"SETH! JESSICA! STAY BACK!" Mark screamed. In front of him was a huge beast. Black tangly fur coated it's body, and a long snake tongue dangled from it's mouth. A terrifying skull mask covered it's face.

A glint of silver sparkled from the beasts hand. I gasped. I knew what it was.

"MARK! THE KEY!" I screamed. MARK gasped and shifted his glance toward the monsters paw.

"HEY STUPID!" Mark screamed. The beast snorted and locked it's eyes on Mark. "YOU HAVE SOMETHING OF MY FRIENDS, AND HE WANTS IT BACK!" He the leapt towards the creature with his dagger

"MARK! NO!" Jessica screamed. But Mark had jumped too high.

"YIPE!" He screeched as he leapt over the monster and crashed the ground. As soon as he hit the ground, he let out another scream, but in pure pain.

His dagger, that was supposed to be plunged into the beasts back, was sticking out of his OWN leg.