It's my first time joining the ONC! I'm very excited because I found some prompts that resonate with me. They reminded me of this short story (1.3K words) I wrote years back. I will share the short story after I finish this novella to avoid any spoilers. The idea of this story is going to come from it, but this novella will have a whole new plot, setting, and characters.
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PROMPTS
Main. 73) Falling in love isn't easy - especially when the person you fall in love with is a ghost.
Supplementary. 24) A desperate wish, made from the heart, is always answered. Sooner or later.
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GENRE
Since I'm writing about a ghost, this is going to be Paranormal Fantasy. It will also be Adult Grimdark because of morally gray characters and some mature or violent themes.
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BLURB
Danilo's life is a mess, from the drinking to the smoking to the nagging of his mother. It seems like nothing is ever going right until he meets Dulnuan, a ghost who lived during the time of American imperialism in the Philippines. He befriends her, and she becomes a light at the end of his dark tunnel with the promise of a romantic adventure and a chest filled with gold to get him out of his miserable life. But how can he be together with Dulnuan? How can she help him find the gold? Will he wish desperately enough to make it all come true?
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SETTING
For some time now, I thought of creating a story that is set in my hometown, Baguio City (Pronunciation: Bag-iyo). It's the Summer Capital in the Philippines, situated in a mountainous region about 5,000 feet above sea level. The weather there is mild and cooler compared to the lowlands. I really miss my hometown, and I'm glad this story will share a little bit about it.
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CHARACTERS
Dulnuan is a ghost who lived in the late 1800s to the early 1900s in Baguio. She was an Igorot Chieftain's wife. During her time she experienced the American imperialism of the Philippines, so some parts of that history will be shared here. I've always been intrigued with how the Americans named my hometown, and I will be able to share it here through Dulnuan.
Danilo Bautista is a simple custodian who watches the tourist boats at Burnham Lake. He is a drunk and a chain-smoker who has lost hope in life. He will learn a bit of the history of the Philippines and Baguio from Dulnuan as their relationship evolves.
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SCHEDULE OF UPDATES
I don't know yet because I have other priorities such as A Book Nerd's Guide to Falling in Love (twice-a-week update) and Sea Gypsies: The Draga Isles (Revision). I hope you check out those stories too. But I will make sure Glittering Gold's updates are within the schedule of the contest's requirements.
YOU ARE READING
Glittering Gold | ONC 2024
ParanormalDanilo's life is a mess, from the drinking to the smoking to the nagging of his mother. It seems nothing is ever going right until he meets Dulnuan, a ghost who lived during the time of American imperialism in the Philippines. He befriends her, and...
