The clicking might have been an electric fuel pump.
To remove the ignition switch cylinder on your car, straighten a paper clip, and then put the key into the cylinder. On the face of the cylinder, you will see a small hole. Insert the paper clip into this hole, after you turn the key to the accessory position, and give the paper clip a gentle push to depress the button behind that hole, while turning the key cylinder further to the left. This will remove the key cylinder. Then take the cylinder and key to your local locksmith, and have new tumblers installed in the cylinder. This should fix your problem. On the cylinder side, you will usually find a 4 digit, or combination of digits and letters code, that will be the key number. The locksmith will use this code to make you a new key, and to install new tumblers. I would record this code, where you won't loose it, and also have a few additional keys cut by number. Then when you get home with the repaired cylinder, you insert the cylinder in approximately the same angle that it was removed with the key inserted into the cylinder, and turn the key to the right. This will lock the cylinder into the ignition switch, and you will not have any more problems like the one you just experienced.
If your cylinder doesn't have a key code on it, then the locksmith may or may not be able to put new tumblers into the lock cylinder, depending on how worn your key is. If this is the case, then you will need to remove a door lock cylinder to get the code. If you get to the point where this becomes necessary, I or John can give you instructions on how to do this next step. Hopefully, you will luck out, and there will be a number.
One last thing, disconnect the battery positive terminal before you remove the key cylinder, so you don't run the battery down a second time. The locksmith may do the work while you wait, or he might say to come back a day or two later, depending on how busy he is. Changing tumblers isn't a difficult job for the locksmith, only time consuming to look up the code, cut the key, and do the cylinder work. I would say no more than an hours work total. A really experienced locksmith could probably knock it out in a half hour.