January 2026 Updates
I hope your January has been going alright! My updates for this month are below.
- I have published a short story about two ren sisters making bracelets with one another. You can read “A Thread of Change” here.
- I got to see both of my sisters again this month, which was nice.
Thanks for reading my updates! I hope you have a good February and please feel welcome to share your collaborative project and sibling updates in the comments. This month, I encourage you to support the LUCE Immigrant Network of MA, which operates an ICE watch and hotline, and the Rohingya Community Partners’ emergency fundraising campaign to support families who lost their shelters in a fire in Bangladesh. I also encourage you to support Reviving Gaza, a mutual aid network providing aid to people in Gaza. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
Short Story: A Thread of Change
Lyla raced home, her satchel thumping against her waist and her black hair jostling before her eyes. The afternoon sun glimmered on her light green skin and the salty wind tickled her nose. Lessons were finally over. She was free.
She scrambled down the narrow, rocky pathway. Her hands gripped the well-worn stone clefts, ensuring she did not tumble off the floating island into the glittering sea below. Her heart thudding, she turned right into a tunnel tucked along the cliffside.
She dashed down the hallway, the walls’ soft orange lights illuminating her way, and burst into her family’s cave. “Trilla!” she called. “Are you ready?”
Her sister lay sprawled on the rug, swirling red berry juice in a bowl with her finger. Her mirror bowl, Lyla recognized. Mirror bowls were the devices used to communicate and share information across long distances. Trilla glanced up. “Oh, hi, Lyla.”
Lyla flung her satchel down on the ground and collapsed beside her sister. “Trilla, we planned this!”
Her sister’s attention had already returned to the red liquid sloshing around the stone bowl. “I’m not sure I can do today. I need to make sure my mirror bowl is all set for my classes.”
Lyla’s chest burned. “That’s two seasons away!”
“Well, I won’t be able to send messages or submit assignments if my mirror bowl isn’t up to standard. Hey, how about you get yours out, and we can test whether I can transfer worksheets…”
Lyla groaned. She yanked over her satchel and slipped her hand inside to find her mirror bowl. As her fingers brushed over the books, pencils, and papers stuffed inside her bag, they began tangling with the thread she had collected while at lessons. She grinned.
“I’ll help you with your mirror bowl if you do what you promised first.”
Trilla rolled her eyes. “Ugh, fine. But you better help me with my mirror bowl…and let’s make this quick!”
Lyla smirked. “Deal!”
She drew out the five spools of thread from her bag, letting them seesaw on the ground. Meanwhile, her sister stood up, leaving her mirror bowl behind, and pattered to her room. She returned, clutching a small wooden box.
“You definitely chose the colors you want?” Trilla asked. “Because I’m not unthreading it for you if you decide you want to change it.”
“Of course!” Lyla glared at her sister as Trilla rolled her eyes.
“I’m just saying ‘cause you always change your mind about things last minute.”
Lyla opened her mouth to retort, but her eyes landed on the mirror bowl still on the ground and she thought better of it. She watched as Trilla knelt beside her and opened the wooden box with a clink. Lyla gasped as little beads and jewels glimmered back up at them.
“I can’t believe you found so many!”
For the first time that day since Lyla had returned from lessons, Trilla grinned at her. “Well, I’m just more patient than you. You get bored quickly.”
Lyla bounced on her knees. “Ooh, can I use the green gems?”
“One thing at a time, Lyla. You must choose what colors you want for the bracelet first.”
It was Lyla’s turn to roll her eyes. Nevertheless, she sat back and picked up the light blue and silver spools of thread before handing them to her sister. Trilla nodded and unraveled the string, letting the tendrils hang loosely between them.
Lyla watched, rolling back and forth on her heels as Trilla measured the thread before cutting and twining them together to make a thicker chain. She then repeated the process, her nimble fingers leaping in and out between the fibers. Before long, four strands lay before them.
Lyla reached out to grab one, feeling its compact yet flexible texture between her fingertips.
“Now you can pick out the gems,” Trilla said.
Lyla clapped her hands together and rummaged through the box of jewels, feeling their smooth and grainy surfaces rub against her palm. She loved them all and wanted them all.
“Are you done yet?” Trilla’s voice caused Lyla’s hand to jolt out of the box. Gems spewed onto the rug.
“Lyla!” Trilla began scooping up the fallen jewels.
Lyla scrambled to pick up the little pieces, her heart thudding. Why couldn’t she get anything right? “I’m sorry, Trilla.”
“This is exactly why I didn’t want to do this with you!”
Trilla’s words stung Lyla’s chest, and she squeezed the gems in her hand, not caring how they pricked her. Heat flushed through her face, and, before she could stop herself, the words bolted out of her mouth. “Why do you hate me so much?”
A stillness grasped the air as both sisters glowered at one another.
Trilla was the first to move. Her eyes flashing, she stood up, picked up her mirror bowl, and stalked out of the cave and into the hallway. Lyla listened as her sister’s footsteps drifted away, the gems still stabbing Lyla’s palm.
Why couldn’t her sister understand? Why didn’t she want to spend time with her? They had so few days left together. Soon, Trilla would be a continent away and Lyla would still be here. There would be no more opportunities to weave colorful bands of thread or string shimmering gems together. When Lyla returned home from lessons, there would be no one to greet her from the rug, no sister to say hello to. She would be alone.
Her eyes ached, but no tears fell down her cheeks. Taking a shaky breath, Lyla stood and ambled in the direction her sister had gone. The gems remained clutched in her palm.
~~~
She found Trilla sitting on the peak of the cliffside, staring out at the sea. Her mirror bowl lay untouched beside her. The sun was lower now. It was not quite sunset, but yellow-tinged clouds had settled across the sky, and a light breeze wrapped itself around Lyla’s arms and legs. The salty air nuzzled her nostrils.
She approached her sister with quiet steps. “Trilla?” She was surprised by how much effort it took to speak her sister’s name.
Trilla did not turn. Her gaze remained directed at the skyline.
Lyla tentatively sat down beside her sister. The stone was warm from the sun, but Lyla found her body would not relax yet.
She opened her mouth to speak again, but Trilla spoke first.
“I’m scared, too, you know,” Trilla said.
Lyla frowned. She had never imagined her sister as scared. Her sister had always been the brave one. Trilla was five years older and had always been the one caring for Lyla while their parents went on their trading expeditions.
“I’ve never left Salus Adna before,” Trilla said, gesturing to the floating island they lived on. “Never mind the continent of Caelum.”
And I’ve never been left alone here, Lyla thought to herself, swinging her legs underneath her. She held out the jewels to her sister. “Trilla, I’m sorry I spilled your gems.”
Trilla sighed. She peered at Lyla’s outstretched hand. “I don’t hate you, Lyla, and I’m not really mad about the gems. I’m…” She shook her head. “I don’t know. I just don’t know how to move forward but still be here at the same time.”
Lyla tilted her head. She placed her hand back down, letting the gems clink against the stone.
“I-I don’t know how to explain it.” Trilla stared down at her lap.
“It’s okay,” Lyla said.
Trilla studied her. “I’m sorry I yelled at you.”
Lyla looked out at the ocean. In the distance, the sleek body of a sea dragon rose out of the waves before gliding back under the surface. Birds flitted in the sky, and from behind Lyla, the scent of cooking wafted over to them. Their cavemates must be preparing their dinners.
“I’m going to miss this,” Trilla breathed out. “Do you want to try making those bracelets again?”
“Yes,” Lyla said. She released the gems and let the jewels sit on the cliffside between them beside Trilla’s mirror bowl. “That way, we can each have something from one another when you leave. And, I can help you with your mirror bowl so we can talk to one another!”
Trilla laughed. “Okay! This time, I won’t rush you.”
Lyla nodded. “And I won’t push you. But first, let’s enjoy the view.”
December 2025 Updates
Hello, all! Happy December and almost-January! It’s officially been a year since I first started doing these updates, and while I had originally worried they would be a hassle, I have been finding them incredibly motivating. My monthly updates are below.
- I have a new poem out! This poem is titled “Cycles” is from the perspective of Rana, a character I had created for a storyline I brainstormed as a highschooler. You can read the poem here.
- I’ve been able to see both of my sisters this month, which was nice. I got Hunter some knitting supplies, and it’s been fun seeing her create a new scarf.
Thank you for reading my updates! I hope you have a great New Year! Feel free to share your sibling-related and creative project updates in the comments. This month, I encourage you to support the Barana Hanabneiho Organisation, a youth-led Sudanese organization that provides food, shelter, and education in underprivileged areas of Sudan. I also encourage you to support the Uyghur Wellness Initiative, which provides safe spaces for Uyghur communities, and the “We Got This” program, which is a Milwaukee-based community garden. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
Poem: Cycles
Note: This poem references a storyline I created regarding an alien named Jak from the planet Keldar who befriends two human boys from Earth. Rana is Jak’s best friend in that story, and she lost one of her parents prior to the tale’s beginning. In the story, Jak is taken by Keldar Officials for questioning, and this poem examines Rana’s feelings as she waits for him.
She, Rana, has been here on this bench before
Slider rippling underneath her tall body
Eyes forward, staring
Not at the sickly sky
Nor the dull clouds or belerfs circling high
No, her attention pointed elsewhere
At the building
Transparent, wavering across
From the bench
She, Rana, finds herself sitting on right now
Waiting for news of her beloved parent
Inside, but not, although she did not know yet
But that was before
Now, she waits for a friend
A friend, Jak, who
Cracked Keldar’s shell
Spilled its secrets
Was captured, lost, found
So Rana waits
Hoping, knowing
He’ll come back
November 2025 Updates
Hello! I hope you had a good November! My updates for this month are below.
- I did some more editing on a Keldar poem I wrote a few months ago. I’m still not entirely proud of it, but I’m feeling ready to move on and work on other projects.
- I got to see Hunter this month, and it was nice being able to spend a little time with her.
That’s all for November! You are welcome to share your collaborative and sibling updates in the comments! This month, I am once again encouraging you to donate to Khartoum Kitchen, which is directly running 12 kitchens in the Khartoum area in Sudan, and to follow Saroyah’s Twitter list for updates on the humanitarian crisis. I also encourage you to give to the Western Alaska Disaster Relief Fund, which is supporting Western Alaskan communities following devastating typhoons and storms in October. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
October 2025 Updates
Happy October! Thank you for stopping by. My updates are below.
- I finally finished the ren sisters story and actually gifted it to one of my sisters for her birthday, which was fun.
- Speaking of my sisters, I had fun hanging out with both of them this month! I got to see each of them three times.
Thanks again for stopping by! You are welcome to share your collaborative art projects and sibling updates in the comments! This month, I encourage you to support The Needle of Hope, which raises money for Omar to tailor clothes for children in Gaza, the Sudan Solidarity Collective, which is raising money to support food distribution in El Fashir, and the Ohketeau Cultural Center, which is a Native-led cultural center that supports Indigenous people in Central and Western Massachusetts. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
September 2025 Updates
Hello! I hope your September treated you well. My updates for this month are below.
- I worked a little more on the ren sisters short story. I’m in the final scene I have planned, so I’m hoping to finish writing it soon.
- I also visited Hunter this month, and we watched Adventure Time together, and that was nice.
Thank you for checking out my updates and you are welcome to share your collaborative project updates and general sibling news in the comments! This month, I encourage you to support AIDESEP, an organization in Peru that supports the rights of Indigenous peoples along the Amazon. It appears that you need a Peruvian identification number to support them financially through their website, but you can follow their social media accounts for more information about their actions. I also encourage you to support On the Rise, a Massachusetts community and Safe Haven for women, transgender, and nonbinary people moving through homelessness, and to follow Refugees in Niger, which brings attention to the Black African refugees protesting the neglect and human rights abuses they are facing in Agadiz. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
August 2025 Updates
Hi, all! I hope you had a good August! I have this month’s updates below.
- I worked a little more on the ren sisters short story, and hopefully, I will be done writing it by the next update.
- I have made the decision to put The Dragon Queen’s Prisoners sequel on an indefinite hiatus. I re-read the first book along with my original plans for the sequels, and I have just changed so much as a person since I wrote the first book when I was in high school. And I have decided I would rather work on other stories than continue working on this one. Fortunately, I don’t think anyone except my father even read the first one, so I don’t think this news will really affect anyone. I will still keep the first book up on Wattpad for those interested.
Anyways, that’s my updates for this month! I would love to learn about your collaborative art and sibling-related projects in the comments. This month, I encourage you to check out the National Black Food & Justice Alliance, a coalition supporting Black self-determination and food sovereignty in the US. Additionally, The Okra Project is a mutual aid collective supporting Black Trans folks through food and housing security and mental health support. I also urge you to support the Rohingya Community Partners’ fundraiser to run a training program for Rohingya refugee youth and girls. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
July 2025 Updates
Hi, everyone! I hope your July has been going well! For the first time since April, I’m finally not doing these updates last minute. :) Anyways, my updates are below.
- I worked a bit more on my ren sisters story and, of course, on the TDQP sequel. My sister and I had originally outlined the TDQP trilogy back when we were about 15 and 12, and then I re-outlined it roughly four years later. Now that I’m almost 24, I’m thinking of editing the outline again. My understanding of the world has grown so much since my sister and I first conceived this project, and I know my worldview will continue to adapt and change. It’s been fascinating seeing how this story grows alongside me.
- I’ve been re-reading The Silmarillion the last few months, and it’s been interesting seeing how much sibling relationships and dynamics make up the story.
Anyways, that’s it for this month! I would love to know what collaborative projects you’ve been working on or sibling-related stories you’ve been reading in the comments! This month, I urge you to support USCPR’s Water Is Life Gaza campaign, which is a Palestinian-led project that delivers clean water to families displaced by Israel’s ongoing genocide. I also encourage you to support Refugees in Libya, an organization advocating for refugees throughout North Africa and Europe. Finally, please support the Massachusetts Bail Fund, which is an abolitionist direct service organization that pays bail for those who cannot afford it. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
June 2025 Updates
Hello! I hope you are well! My updates for June are below:
- I worked more on the ren sisters short story and I should be almost done with the first draft soon!
- I also worked more on The Dragon Queen’s Prisoners’ sequel. I’m still in the Nala chapter but it’s progressing forward.
Thank you for reading my updates! Please feel welcome to share any collaborative or sibling-related projects you are working on in the comments. This month, I encourage you to donate to the Sameer Project, a Palestinian initiative working to provide medical aid, supplies, and food in Gaza. Also, please check out ‘Āina Momona, a community organization working toward environmental health, social justice, and Hawaiian sovereignty. Thirdly, Hope Relief and Rehabilitation is a Sudanese organization supporting people with disabilities, particularly in the Nuba Mountains, where famine has been declared. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
May 2025 Updates
Well, hello a bit later than usual this month! I hope you are all well. I have written my updates for this month below.
- I wrote a bit more of The Dragon Queen’s Prisoners sequel. It’s a chapter from Nala’s perspective, and diving more into her emotions has been interesting.
- I also wrote more of the ren sisters short story, and it’s been a journey diving into their complicated relationship.
That’s all for this month and I would love to hear about what stories you have been working on or sibling-related stories you recommend reading below! This month, if you live in the US, I encourage you to contact your congresspeople to urge action regarding the ongoing forced famine in Gaza here and to advocate against cutting SNAP here. Please also review Saroyah’s Twitter list here for updated information regarding the continuing humanitarian crisis in Sudan. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.
April 2025 Updates
Hello! I hope you are doing alright. My updates for the month are below.
- I wrote more of the ren sisters story and did a little more work on The Dragon Queen’s Prisoners sequel. I also now have a Neocities site and Wix blog that you can find on my Carrd.
- On a sweet note, a friend got me into Bluey, and the sibling dynamic between Bluey and Bingo has seriously been reminding me so much of my sister and me when we were little.
As always, thank you for checking out my updates! Please share your writing updates and any sibling-related stories you’ve been reading/watching in the comments! This month, I encourage you to support the Basandja Coalition, which lifts the voices of Indigenous and local communities in the Congo Basin, and FiveforFive, a collective fund for trans women in the UK. Also, please check out AILA’s immigration advocacy resources. For more resources and organizations to support, please look here.