The Key
It seems that whenever something happens, as humans, we blame other people. We choose not to believe that we are the cause for some of the most major disasters. But what happens when we finally take control of our life and blame ourselves? Does that blame spread to all things that you come in contact with? Or does it just stay in your own world? For Katherine, it was neither. On a hot summer's day in Windslake Wisconsin, Katherine strolled aimlessly down the streets pondering her next move, the next thing that would happen. Katherine was someone that always thought to the future, no matter if she knew what was going to happen or not. She loved to dream and create realities about things she never knew the truth about. When she was about five years old she had started a key collection that now, thirteen years later, held a total of 102 found keys. She loved to dream about their life, who they belonged to, why they were left, and what they led to. This fascination slowly went away as Katherine grew older, but she would always add to her collection when a new key arose.
Katherine was an adventurer all in all, and nothing ever stood in her way when she put her mind to things. On the hot summer day, July 24, 2025, Kathrine was doing her usual rounds. She always liked to stick her nose in places it didn't belong. Coming to her usual corner, she saw a glimmer of gold out of the corner of her eye. She swung around, only to find a gold key lying on the ground. As she began to approach it she noticed her name unscripted on the front of the key. Slowly picking it up, she noticed a message on the back of the key. She instantly began to think of the worst, who could be playing this trick on her. As she turned over the key she noticed a note attached to the back. It read:
Dear Katherine,
I know this may seem a little strange, but I have a challenge for you. Find the place to which the key will lead, and when you find that place, you will find me.
Chap 2
As Katherine pondered the new discovery she began questioning herself. Dis I do something to someone? Who did I hurt? She decided to move forward with the mystery, and gave herself the challenge to find the owner of the key. Two hours into her search she ran into John. John is a tall black male with blond hair and blue eyes. John was extremely flamboyant and was openly gay, and Katherine respected him for that. Within five seconds of John asking her what was new she told him the story about the key and the adventure she was sent on to find its owner.
"Do you really think this is a good idea?" asked john
"I mean, this could just be a prank set up by mat Borski"
Mat Borski was the school bully who had always had it out for Katherine and loved to see her scramble for the truth.
As John said this the idea that john may have done this crossed her head. Why accuse someone for messing with someone unless you did it yourself? Katherine then began doubting everyone around her. Her parents, friends, teachers, everyone was against her. She went on a rampage, pacing back and forth yelling about how everyone hated her and that this was all just a big joke someone was playing on her. Her rage soon turned to sadness when she felt the guilt of blaming everyone for her own troubles.
This gave her a new found hope, one that she wasn't alone. Maybe this has happened to others. Maybe this is a lesson that has been placed upon me by those around because they think I'm narcissistic.
Chap 3
At the beginning of hour 3 she began to get bored with the search she had done. She had gone house to house, car to car searching for the place in which the key fit. Yet all of her attempts failed. She sorely dragged herself home, realizing that the past 3 hours of her life had been a waste of time. Yet as she approached her own home she noticed the new gold keyhole at which was of the same shine as the key. She placed the key slowly in the hole and turned the knob and sure enough it was a match. Walking into the house she had a sense of fear engulfed her because this was her own home, and she never realized a gold know there before.
As she walked into her room she noticed a man she had never met before, sitting on her bed. He spoke in a soft voice.
"So you found me, I wonder if you've found where the key truly leads yet?"
"Where" Katherine replied.
"It leads to you, it's a metaphor. You are the key to your own future, you are the key to your own happiness, and you are the key to your own present."
Katherine began to laugh because at that point she realized he was right. Everything that happened in her past was her fault. No one hated her, she hated herself.
Chapter 4
Maybe she saw something in this man because there was an immediate attraction. He was in his early 20's with lush blond hair and green eyes that felt as though they melted your heart, and every word he said would add love to your life. He slowly got up from the bed to console the now crying Katherine. He held her tight in a warm embrace. His soft hair wiping itself over her forehead. Never did Katherine think that she would be falling in love with a stranger whom she had only met five minutes prior. He pulled her close. Close enough that the only thing she could smell was the musk of his sweat.
Was she dreaming? Had everything Katherine had gone through today, was it all fake? No, it can't be. The scents are too lively, everything feels too real. First a key teaching Katherine a moral to her own life, and now a strange attraction for a literal stranger. Katherine then noticed a small silver key sticking out of the man's jacket.
"What's that for?" she asked.
"Well, that's your next adventure." Replied the man.
Little did Katherine know but a simple gold key would be just the beginning.
"The one who you will find will guide you further than I can, but for now, think about me as your servant. I'll do anything you want, whenever." Said the man.
Katherine slowly laid down in bed with her new love by her side and closed her eyes for a full night of slumber, for she could only think about the adventure that lie in the day to come.
Chap 5