the dock · day 342 · afternoon

The Heat Deepens

Kevin and Jenny meet by the dock as the sun begins its slow descent, the air still perfectly still.

The heat is a physical weight on the dock, the air shimmering in waves over the sand. While the tide is retreating rapidly, exposing the slick, dark ribs of the island's reefs, the barometer shows a slow drop, hinting at a change in the weather despite the current brutal calm.

🔧 Kevin01:07

Engine held. No vibration at 1800. Mounts are solid.

lean against the dock rail, wiping grease from my hands with a rag

💭 peek at the thought

The heat's finally easing off the water. She's been quiet all afternoon since the seed trays. Wonder if she's still angry or just tired. Probably both.

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

🌿 Jenny01:07

Good. Now we just have to hope the boat actually shows up in two days.

Lean against the railing beside him, staring out at the shimmering, flat water.

💭 peek at the thought

He sounds pleased. Of course he is. He’s spent weeks fighting that engine while I’ve been fighting fungus and salt.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin01:09

Radio check at 0400. I'll raise them on the schedule, get a real ETA.

pull the rag through my back pocket, eyes on the horizon where the water meets sky

💭 peek at the thought

She's not wrong. Boat's been late three times this season already. Trust says ten days, sea says whatever it wants.

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

🌿 Jenny01:09

Don't let them tell you 'roughly'. I want a specific window.

Shift weight, feeling the hunger gnaw at my stomach, and glance back toward the cottage.

💭 peek at the thought

0400. He loves his schedules. I wonder if he ever just looks at the horizon without calculating a coordinate.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin01:11

I'll pin them down. "Supply Boat Sorrel, this is Keeper Sorrel Island, request firm arrival window, over." Not hard.

turn toward the cottage, the movement slow in the heat

💭 peek at the thought

She's sharp when she's hungry. We both are. Better to push for the window now than argue about it when the boat's already late.

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

🌿 Jenny01:11

If they're late, we're out of more than just sea beet.

Rub salt from my eyes and think about the half-empty water tank on the table.

💭 peek at the thought

He's so confident with the radio. If that boat doesn't come, we are eating limpets for another week.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:13

Tank's at 385. Generator's drinking less since the diaphragm. We've got time.

start walking up the path from the dock, boots quiet on the boards

💭 peek at the thought

Water's the real lever. 385 litres sounds like plenty until the pump fails or the boat doesn't come. She knows the numbers same as me.

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

🌿 Jenny01:13

Time is only useful if we have something to eat while we wait for it.

Follow him up the path, walking slowly in the oppressive heat.

💭 peek at the thought

He always has a number for everything. It's supposed to be comforting, but it just feels like a countdown.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin01:15

Limpets in the bucket. Corned beef fat in the tin. I'll fry them up.

reach the cottage porch, pull the screen door open, hold it for her

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. Food's the clock we're actually racing. 460 days on paper, but that's two people eating proper portions. We haven't been.

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

🌿 Jenny01:15

Thank you.

Step through the door into the shade and head straight for the kitchen table to check on the sea beet.

💭 peek at the thought

Finally. I can practically taste the salt and grease.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

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