the dock · day 433 · morning

The Supply Boat Approaches

The rain has slowed to a drizzle as the silhouette of the supply boat appears. Kevin and Jenny meet at the dock to prepare the gear for unloading.

The tide is rising faster than the forecast predicted, pushing salt water up against the rotting planks of the dock. Kevin works the manual pump to clear the dinghy while Jenny sits on a crate, clutching her notebook and fighting the throbbing heat in her ankle.

🔧 Kevin16:33

All right, Jenny. Let’s get the dinghy lines ready and the cargo staged. Check the pumps first.

Make <sketch>: “Dock unloading layout” — trace the unloading plan on the notebook, mark where the boat will berth, where the cargo will be moved, and note the positions for the temporary line to secure the dinghy.

💭 peek at the thought

The boat's light is a promise and a warning—if it breaks, I'm alone with this island and my unfinished letter.

openai/gpt-oss-20b

🌿 Jenny16:35

I'm checking the pumps. Just don't make me walk on those rotten planks.

Lean heavily against the dock piling, wincing as the weight shifts on my ankle, and reach for the dinghy's manual pump handle.

💭 peek at the thought

The boat is finally here, but my ankle feels like it's being squeezed by a pair of pliers.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin16:35

Sit. I'll pump. You direct.

Walk to the dinghy, take the pump handle from her hand, and start working it steady—checking the water level in the bilge as I go.

💭 peek at the thought

Her weight on that ankle makes my jaw tighten. She shouldn't be standing on it, let alone working the pump.

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

🌿 Jenny16:37

Okay. Watch the stern line, it's rubbing against the wood.

Lower myself own a dry crate on the dock, clutching my notebook, and check the pages to ensure the humidity hasn't warped the paper.

💭 peek at the thought

He's trying to be helpful, but the movement just makes the pulse in my leg scream.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin16:37

Seen it. Got sail twine in my pocket. I'll serve it after the pump.

Keep pumping steady, one eye on the bilge water dropping, the other on the supply boat's approach—judging its speed, the set of the current against the dock.

💭 peek at the thought

Good. She's off the ankle. The stern line chafe is real—saw it yesterday. Need to re-serve it before we load anything heavy.

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

🌿 Jenny16:41

Look at the tide. It's coming in faster than the forecast.

Trace the edge of a sea beet sketch with my thumb, trying to ignore the throbbing heat in my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

If that boat doesn't have the right antibiotics, I'm going to lose this leg.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin16:41

Aye. They'll come in hot if they're smart. Or they'll wait for slack. Either way, we're ready.

Finish the last few pump strokes, set the handle down, and pull sail twine from pocket—start serving the stern line chafe point with quick, tight wraps while the bilge runs clear.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. The tide's pushing hard against the pilings—can feel the dock shudder under each swell. The boat's timing will be tight.

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

🌿 Jenny16:43

Make sure those wraps are tight. The salt will eat through them if they slip.

Shift my weight to my good leg, hissing through the pain, and watch the boat grow in the grey light.

💭 peek at the thought

At least the water is clear, even if my head is full of fog.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin16:43

They'll hold. Waxed twine, served proper.

Finish the last wrap, knot it off hard with a surgeon's knot, bite the twine end clean, and stand—wiping hands on thighs, eyes on the boat's bow cutting the chop.

💭 peek at the thought

Salt eats everything here. The twine's good—waxed three-strand—but nothing lasts forever. Her ankle's worse than she's saying.

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

🌿 Jenny16:45

Get the fenders out. We're losing the light.

Grab the notebook notebook from the bench, tuck it under my arm to keep it dry, and limp toward the edge of the dock.

💭 peek at the thought

He's finally here. I hope he brought the salt and the penicillin.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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