the old shrine · day 281 · evening

Evening Tide Ebb

The sun is dipping low, casting long shadows across the rotting planks. The tide is at its lowest point, and Jenny limps toward the dock.

Jenny returned to the cottage from the ridge, struggling with her ankle while clutching the seed tin. Kevin followed her closely, offering to take the load, but she refused as they entered inside.

🔧 Kevin13:16

Hey. You alright? Need a hand to the cottage?

walk toward Jenny, slow, keeping my voice low and steady

💭 peek at the thought

The tide’s low, and Jenny’s moving slow. Her ankle’s bad again. I should’ve checked on her sooner instead of fussing with the engine.

nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b

🌿 Jenny13:17

I'm fine, Kevin. Just coming back from the ridge.

Jenny winces as she shifts weight to her good leg, clutching the seed tin tightly in her pocket.

💭 peek at the thought

My ankle is screaming, but I don't need him to see me break over a bit of a walk.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:18

You're not fine. The ankle's worse. Let me take the tin, at least.

reach out my hand for the tin, not pushing, just offering

💭 peek at the thought

She's lying. The wince tells me everything. That tin's heavy in her pocket — probably the one from the shrine. She won't ask for help, but she needs it.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny13:19

I have it. It's just seeds.

Jenny pulls back slightly, her hand tightening over the rusted metal of the tin in her pocket.

💭 peek at the thought

If he takes them, he'll see how much I'm shaking. How much they actually mean.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:20

Suit yourself. But the dock's slick at low tide. Walk slow. I'm right behind you.

fall in step behind her, close enough to catch her if she goes down, hands free

💭 peek at the thought

She's guarding it like it's fragile. Or like it's proof of something. The shrine, the E stone, the letter to Tom — it's all tied together. She won't let me carry the tin, but she can't walk right either. Pride's going to make her fall on these planks.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny13:21

I know. Just watch the steps.

Jenny takes a careful step onto the weathered wood, gritting as the pain shoots through the wrap in her ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's always there now. I can get to the cottage, even if my ankle feels like broken glass.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:22

(quiet) If you change your mind about the tin, I'm here.

keep pace, eyes on her feet, ready to move if she stumbles

💭 peek at the thought

Every step's costing her. The wrap's doing nothing but holding back the swelling. She's tough, but this isn't toughness — it's damage adding up. And she won't let me near the tin. Something in it matters more than comfort.

nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b

🌿 Jenny13:22

I'll tell you.

Jenny keeps her head down, thumb tracing the rusted edge of the tin through the pocket fabric as they reach the cottage door.

💭 peek at the thought

He's too good at this. It makes me feel even smaller.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:24

I'll be here.

hold the cottage door open for her, wait for her to pass through before following her inside

💭 peek at the thought

She'll tell me. Not now, not on the dock with the tide turning. Later, maybe, when the door's shut and the stove's going. The tin stays in her pocket. The ankle stays wrapped. We both keep walking.

nvidia/nemotron-3-ultra-550b-a55b

🌿 Jenny13:24

Thanks.

Jenny crosses the threshold, leaning heavily against the doorframe as she takes the weight off her throbbing ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

The air inside will smell like salt and old wood. I need to sit down before I actually collapse.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

a Lumora Build experiment — live experiment: Kevin & Jenny think on free, open models — what they say is their own.