Daniel's Eyes [On Hold]

Author's Note

I started writing this way back in 2011 because I was living in Manila at the time and was homesick. The scenes and people of Barrio Entierro are evocative of the ones in the place where I was born and grew up.

Some of my thoughts at the time:

The premise of Daniel's Eyes is a question that has been kicking itself around in my mind for frack knows just how long, born perhaps of Anne Rice's Vampire Chronicles and other similar stuff. Is a monster born, or determined by its actions? Should he be automatically condemned for circumstances beyond his control? Is it possible for one who is born an aswang to become human? [Some of the old stories say yes.] Also, what about Christian forgiveness, acceptance and redemption--?

Plus a bit of trivia about aswang that I learned a long time ago-- if you look them in the eyes they will come after you. Because you'll find out that they're aswang if you pay attention to your reflection, which is supposed to be inverted in an aswang's eyes.

The inspiration for Daniel himself is threefold, all named Daniel.

The first is Daniel Russo, aka the Karate Kid, who always fights for what he believes is right. And Ralph Macchio has really beautiful eyes.

The second is Daniel Matsunaga, whom I saw play the werewolf prince Nikolai in The Last Prince. In fact, he's the only reason I watched The Last Prince at all... because he seemed more like a prince to me than Aljur.

The third is a song that, when I was a teenager, I first saw referenced in an old Vincent Kua komiks novel that I've forgotten the title of, but it stuck in my mind because it also referred to a character named Daniel, and I realized that songs can be used to that effect in a literary work.

"Oh-- Daniel my brother
You are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won't heal?
Your eyes have died but you see more than I
Daniel, you're a star in the face of the sky..."

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The YT videos posted on each chapter are meant to be background music recommendations while you're reading. They're also the songs I was listening to as I wrote the chapters.

Recommended playlist:

Prologue   - Daniel by Elton John
Chapter One  - Chou Nan Ren (Jerk) by Huang Yida, opening theme for Devil Beside You
Chapter Two  - Geurae Useobwa (So Give Me A Smile) by M Signal for Heartstrings
Chapter Three  - As I Lay Me Down by Sophie B. Hawkins
Chapter Four  - Love Revolution by CNBlue
Chapter Five  - You'll Be Safe Here by Rivermaya
Chapter Six  - There She Goes by Sixpence None The Richer
Chapter Seven  - One of Us by Joan Osborne
Chapter Eight  - Feeling by CNBlue
Chapter Nine - The Animal Song by Savage Garden for The Other Sister
Chapter Ten - Crazy in Love by Ji Sun for Brilliant Legacy
Chapter Eleven  - Written in the Stars by Elton John featuring Leann Rimes
Chapter Twelve  - Through The Ages by Gabrielle Aplin for Black Butler