Candice

     Hi everyone. This part right here is an introduction. I am working on this small side project. Depending on how it goes it may go longer, but it's planned for a 3 month period with weekly updates. Every week will be ~500 words posted. I hope you enjoy. Everything posted will be CC-A.

 It was a circle. That's how she saw it. Marie looked at Candice and smiled.
 "Do you really think this will work?"
 Candice shrugged, taking the canvas. If it didn't work, Candice wouldn't get her degree. Marie frowned, then shrugged. They both looked at the clock at the same time.
 "We need to go."
 Outside, Marie helped Candice board the shuttle bus. Marie was three years older than Candice. They had been friends since Candice was in grade school.
 "Hey, girls!"
 Candice and Marie both waved to Amelia. Marie sat down and looked up at Candice, who took hold of a handle.
 "Not going to sit today?"
 Candice shook her head. She looked forward out the front window. The sky loomed in front of the shuttle bus as it lurched forward, a deep crimson. The sun was slowly rising and another day began.

 "Ladies, your attention please."
 The announcer addressed the auditorium. Pressing her suit down, she took a deep breath.
 "Today, we look at the submissions for our gallery as the final projects of our graduate arts program. As you know, this is not up to a public vote. This is merely to show what you learned and how you view the world around you."
 "As the world changes, so do we as humans. Therefore it is necessary to express yourself each generation. Without further ado, let's begin."
 Candice nervously stirred in her seat. She looked around the auditorium, looking for a familiar face and found none.
 Time passed slowly for Candice, as she waited her turn to present her project. She saw Amelia take the stage and looked at her sculpture. It resembled a woman in a grotesque form, a look of pleasure on the face. Candice shuddered looking at it.
 “Candice March.”
 Candice stood and walked to the stage to do her presentation. Her canvas was brought forward and uncovered. Candice looked over the audience and smiled.
 “Thank you for allowing me to be a part of your class. You ladies have all been amazing friends, great classmates, and good critics.”
 She paused and waited. The audience gasped audibly and she resumed.
 “As you can tell, I have attempted to pursue a time based art piece. I was honestly worried that I had messed this up, but it's working to plan. I used nonradioactive chemicals to paint a landscape that would slowly draw itself as time passes.”
 She looked at her canvas, taking a deep breath.
 “The painting itself is currently halfway done, but of course with this composition, it won't last more than a year when it's finished. Miss Redmond, thank you for your teaching.”
 Candice bowed, and left the stage. Taking her seat again, she sighed a breath of relief. She watched the remaining students do their presentations with mild interest and applauded at the end.
 When Candice left the auditorium, there was Marie waiting for her with some flowers. Candice nodded and smiled. Marie took Candice's hands, leaned in and gave her a kiss.