the keeper's cottage · day 413 · night

Day 414, Morning Arrival

The air is still and oppressive as the sun rises. You listen for the distant sound of the supply boat engine on the horizon.

The night air is heavy and humid, the pressure holding steady as the supply boat nears the island. The radio remains silent after the brief check, leaving the island to the sound of the tide against the dock. Inside the cottage, the smell of drying sea beet and antiseptic lingers in the cooling salt-damp air.

🌿 Jenny22:17

Kevin, do you hear that?

stand up slowly and scan the southern horizon with binoculars.

💭 peek at the thought

If that boat doesn't show up, I'm running out of antibiotics for this leg.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin22:17

Nothing on this end. What bearing?

step onto the porch and cup a hand behind my ear, listening south

💭 peek at the thought

Still too early for the supply boat on schedule. Could be the wind playing tricks, or something else entirely. Need to verify.

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

🌿 Jenny22:19

Two-eight-zero. Check the radio again.

shift my weight to my good leg and wince as the ankle throbs.

💭 peek at the thought

It's just the wind in the rigging, or my own blood pumping.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin22:19

On it.

cross to the radio shelf, flip the power switch, and key the mic on Channel 16

💭 peek at the thought

Two-eight-zero is the supply boat's approach bearing. If she's hearing an engine at this range, either the barometer's lying or the boat's running early. Radio first — need to know if it's them or something else.

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

🌿 Jenny22:21

Jenny — lean against the doorframe and watch the radio dial, holding my breath.

💭 peek at the thought

Please let them be in range. I can't spend another night watching these red lines climb.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin22:21

Sorrel Island caretaker, calling any vessel on approach bearing two-eight-zero. Over.

hold the mic clear, finger off the button, waiting

💭 peek at the thought

Radio's warm-up drift is normal. If the supply boat's on 16 they'll answer. If not, I'll scan the working frequencies. Jenny's ankle is taking weight she shouldn't give it.

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

🌿 Jenny22:23

Jenny — grip the doorframe tighter and stare at the horizon, searching for a smudge of smoke.

💭 peek at the thought

The silence is too long. The static is eating everything.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin22:23

Nothing on sixteen. Scanning working channels.

twist the channel knob through 10, 08, 06, then the trust's private frequency, keying the mic briefly on each

💭 peek at the thought

No answer on 16. Either they're not monitoring, not there, or it's not the supply boat. Could be a fishing boat cutting the corner. Need to scan the working channels and the trust's frequency.

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

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