(BOOK 2) MARK/HOFFMAN: A Saw Fanfiction

TWENTY THREE

All Mark could taste was metal when he finally woke up. 

He tried to move, but his wrists were strapped to the chair. Jill walked into his line of vision. He stared at her, unable to speak, unable to do anything. 

Oh my god. I'm going to die. 

The reverse bear trap was painful already. He could feel the metal cutting into his gums and making him bleed, the metallic taste filling his mouth. 

"John left you five envelopes," Jill said. She was holding an envelope with a 6 on the front. Mark cursed to himself. How could he be so reckless?! How could he have trusted her?!

She pulled out a photo and showed it to him. 

It was a picture of himself. 

Mark stared at the photo in horror and anger.

 WHY? I'VE ALREADY DONE MY GAME! I'VE ALREADY BEEN TESTED! WHY?!

"This is John's will," Jill told him. 

With that, he began to panic. Mark began trying to pull himself from the restraints, crying out but muffled from the trap. 

On the surveillance cameras, they could see Brent pulling the lever down to the DIE option, sealing William Easton's fate. 

Mark struggled to get out of the trap, trying as William Easton melted away, the hydrofluoric acid eating through him with ease. It was quick, but the screaming made it feel so much longer. 

I'm going to die. What about Abby? I can't leave her alone. I can't let this bitch do this to me. 

Jill began walking away, Mark turning slightly to look at her. 

"Game over," she said. 

"No! No you fucking bitch!" He shouted through the trap. 

The door closed, and the trap was activated. 

When Mark heard the beeping, he knew he wouldn't have long. Typical of Jill to not give him a way to escape. He should have never trusted her. 

With Abby in his mind, Mark immediately began screaming and trying to pull himself free. Quickly, he had the idea to break his hand. He told himself he didn't have a choice if he wanted to see her again, or to even live another day. 

Immediately, he smashed the trap into his hand. 

He groaned as his hand began pulsing and throbbing, the pain almost overwhelming. It only hurt for a moment though as his adrenaline kicked in. Mark began slamming the trap into his hand over and over, trying desperately to free himself of the straps. 

He'd been in straps like this one too many times for comfort. Hell, two times too many! 

He cried out as he slowly but successfully pulled his mangled hand from the strap. With effort, he was able to use his broken hand to undo the other strap, freeing him from the chair. 

While he struggled to get free, he felt fury. 

If John had just left him alone, none of this would have happened. 

If Baxter had never gotten out of jail, this wouldn't have happened. 

If Angelina didn't die, this wouldn't have happened. 

So many events led up to this very moment, where Mark cried for the sad life he was trying to save.

He hated himself for so long, and now as soon as he was able to find someone worth living for after five years of alcoholism and fifteen years of built up depression, it was going to be taken away from him by John Kramer's wife.