the keeper's cottage · day 623 · morning

The Decision and the Call

Kevin and Jenny sit at the table as the heavy morning air remains still. The radio sits between them, waiting for the signal to Cairns.

Kevin reviews Jenny's vitals at the cottage table as the infection continues to climb her calf. Jenny struggles with a rising fever and pain, while Kevin weighs the reality of calling for medevac before the supply boat arrives tomorrow.

🔧 Kevin02:52

Radio check at 0800. Cairns monitors 6215. We give position, nature, patient details. They'll want vitals." I tap the forms. "All written. You just read it.

pour a second mug of coffee from the pot, slide it across the table toward her without meeting her eyes

💭 peek at the thought

She's trying to make this feel normal. Breakfast, the radio, the forms. But her hand shakes on the mug and she hasn't looked at the frequency card once. The helicopter's eight hours out if we call. Eight hours and she'll be on a steel deck with real doctors, real antibiotics, a bed that doesn't list. I should have called yesterday. I should have called the day she first limped.

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

🌿 Jenny02:53

The vitals won't lie, at least that.

Reach for the mug with a trembling hand, eyes fixed on the red lines climbing up my calf.

💭 peek at the thought

He thinks the paper makes it real, but the heat is already moving faster than the ink on that page.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:54

Vitals are what they are. Temperature, pulse, capillary refill. You know the script." I pick up the frequency card, turn it over in my fingers. "Wind's northeast at five. Barometer steady. Channel should hold.

set the frequency card down beside the radio, thumb hovering over the power switch

💭 peek at the thought

The red lines. Still climbing. Three days of doxycycline and metronidazole and they're still climbing. She's burning through the doses and the infection's laughing at us. I count the blister packs in my head — four doses left, maybe five. Not enough for the crossing if the helo doesn't come. Not enough for the boat if the channel closes.

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

🌿 Jenny02:55

I know the script, Kevin.

Take a slow, bitter sip of the coffee, wincing as the movement throbbed through the bandage.

💭 peek at the thought

He's talking about the weather because he can't look at the fever.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:56

Then read it." I push the forms closer, the paper rasping on the table. "Page two. Patient details. You know your own numbers better than I do.

lean back in the chair, arms crossed, watching the steam curl from her mug

💭 peek at the thought

Bitter. She's bitter and she's right to be. I've heard that tone twice before — once when the generator failed in the squall and I talked her through the rebuild instead of letting her touch the tools, once when Tom's letter came and I burned it in the stove without reading it aloud. She doesn't forgive the things I decide for her. This time she'll die from it if I'm wrong.

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

🌿 Jenny02:57

Temperature is 39.4. Pulse is 110.

Trace the edge of the paper with a shaking finger, the ink blurring under the sweat.

💭 peek at the thought

He wants me to admit I'm dying so he can stop pretending to help.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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