the keeper's cottage · day 556 · night

The Pantry Inspection

The air cools inside the small space as Jenny reaches for the trap.

The rain lashes the cottage roof with a heavy, drumming sound, drowning out the wind. Inside, the air is thick with the smell of damp earth and salt. The tension in the pantry remains sharp as the search for the seed tin yields nothing but dust and rat-trap shadows.

🔧 Kevin20:46

Leave it. I'll check.

step between her and the pantry door, hand on the frame

💭 peek at the thought

She's moving toward the pantry. The trap's set. If the rat's still there, she'll see it. If it's gone, she'll hear me say I told you so. Either way, she shouldn't be the one checking it on that ankle.

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

🌿 Jenny20:46

I can see fine, Kevin. I just need to check the tin.

Jenny steps around him, limping heavily on the infected ankle to enter the pantry.

💭 peek at the thought

He thinks he's being helpful, but he's just standing in the way of my work.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:48

Tin's on the porch shelf. Moved it yesterday. Pantry's just traps and dust now.

follow her in, staying close to her elbow

💭 peek at the thought

Stubborn as the dock bolts. She's going to open that door whether I'm in front of it or not. Better I'm close when she does — trap could've snapped wrong, rat could be cornered. And she shouldn't be putting weight on that ankle.

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

🌿 Jenny20:48

way you could have told me. I've been looking everywhere.

Jenny ignores him and begins checking the empty shelves for any sign of the tin.

💭 peek at the thought

If he moved it, why didn't he tell me? He's careless with my things.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:50

On the porch shelf. High. Dry. In my oilskin.

reach past her to the top shelf, fingers brushing the snap trap still set in the back corner

💭 peek at the thought

She's pissed. Rightfully. I moved the tin, didn't say a word. Been too much else — storm, dock, her ankle, the radio. Still no excuse. She's scanning shelves that have been empty since we pulled the compromised packets. Ankle's taking her weight wrong. She'll pay for this tonight.

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

🌿 Jenny20:50

You could have just said where you put it.

Jenny stops searching, eyes narrowing at his hand near the trap.

💭 peek at the thought

He put it in his oilskin? Like I can't manage my own supplies.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin20:52

Porch shelf. High. In the oilskin. I'll say it again tomorrow if you need.

pull hand back from the trap, wipe fingers on trousers

💭 peek at the thought

She caught me checking the trap instead of answering. Fair. I deflected. The trap's still set — bait untouched, pan clean. No rat tonight. Or the other one learned.

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

🌿 Jenny20:52

I don't need a reminder. I need the tin.

Jenny turns on him and limps out of the way toward the porch.

💭 peek at the thought

He's patronizing me. I'm a scientist, not a child.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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