(BOOK 1) MARK/HOFFMAN: A Saw Fanfiction

ONE

One week before the death of Seth Baxter...

Abby Donovan walked into the bar with darting eyes, pulling off her hood to expose her dark curls. 

The bar was dingy, dark, and muggy, not exactly the conditions Abby wanted to be in. However, the woman direly needed a drink, so she made her way over to the bar, keeping on the alert as she did so.

She sat down and sighed, burying her head in her hands. Abby had been in town for two days. She'd come back looking for her parents, but they were gone. Hopefully not dead, but definitely gone. She wondered if they merely moved away or forgot about her. Which one was worse?

"Can I get two more, please?"

Abby heard the man next to her order his drinks, but she didn't look up at first. She took note of his deep voice and slight accent that seemed familiar.

Abby took a quick look around the bar to make sure there were no threats. The bartender had yet to come up to her. She surveyed the room, looking over both shoulders, then let her eyes fall on the man next to her.

He stared down at the empty glass in his hands. He wore a button-up shirt and looked disheveled. His hair fell in his eyes.

He looks so sad.

Abby blinked as he glanced over at her.

Wait a minute...

"Sir? Is your name Mark?"

He now looked at her more thoroughly. Her eyes were wide. There's no way it's him. What are the odds?

"Who's asking?" He eventually said.

"Um... My name is Abby. I thought maybe I knew you when I was younger." Abby paused. "Is your last name Hoffman?"

It took mere seconds for Mark to recognize her. She watched his face go pale.

"No fucking way."

Abby smiled slightly. It WAS him!

He didn't break eye contact as he set the empty glass down. "Abby Donovan? I... Is that really you?"

"Yes!" she replied excitedly. He remembered! She smiled even wider. She wondered to herself how old the man was now. Early 40s? He looked good, maybe better when he cleaned up, but even now she thought he was handsome. She hadn't seen a familiar face in years.

"Where were you?" He asked. She realized he was trying to hold his composure. Mark was on the verge of tears. She never knew him to show his emotions, but a lot can change in fourteen years.

"Um... I mean... I don't think that's too important right now, you know? How are you?"

"Please tell me," he pleaded. The bartender set down his two glasses of scotch, but he had already forgotten about his order.

Abby thought about it.

"Mark, it's really not important right now. I'm here. Isn't that good enough?"

He blew through his lips, staring down at the liquor in front of him. He was disappointed, Abby knew that, but she couldn't bring herself to tell him yet.

"Okay," he said, sounding defeated.

Abby crossed her legs and leaned on her elbow, giving him a soft smile as she tried to shift the mood. "I can't believe I ran into you! How are things? How is Angelina?"

Mark looked as if Abby had slapped him across the face. He looked up from the two drinks and clenched his jaw. Abby's cheerful expression fell as she grew concerned.