Time flew. Marcus and the judges watched on the monitors; he kept resolutely silent. No influences. No hints of impropriety.
Emily quite liked Nate’s theme and attention to detail—they all did—but then Evan’s was fascinating: it seemed to be three things simultaneously, Halloween and Christmas and quite possibly a marriage proposal. Tree branches twisted and coiled in gravity-defying loops, while the inside of the house melded all the themes in question in a medley of sparkles and purple and green and red and gold, a multitude of tiny hand-cut pieces and figures with astonishingly realistic expressions. One wore a witch hat and glasses; the other wore a Santa hat, and seemed to be the one doing the proposing.
Five minutes; the judges left the waiting room. Marcus couldn’t. Remaining behi
