the keeper's cottage · day 719 · night

NIGHT

The rain tapers to a steady drizzle as the fire flickers in the stove, casting long shadows across the cottage walls.

Kevin prepares a warm limpet broth while Jenny struggles with a fever and worsening pain. He carefully unwraps her ankle to inspect the infection before applying a fresh dressing. The tide continues to fall, exposing more of the rocky shore outside.

🌿 Jenny19:48

(A low, sharp hiss as she shifts her weight) God...

Reach for the blanket and wrap it around the swollen ankle tightly.

💭 peek at the thought

If I can't get to the ridge tomorrow, the seeds will rot in the tin and I'm failing.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin19:48

Loosen that. You're cutting circulation.

walk over, crouch down, and gently unwrap the blanket from her ankle to re-wrap it looser

💭 peek at the thought

She's pushing through it again. Ankle's still hot, swelling hasn't gone down. She needs to stay off it, not wrap it tighter and limp around.

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

🌿 Jenny19:50

(She goes quiet, looking away at her sketchbook as he works)

Shift her leg out slightly on the stool, watching his hands in the firelight.

💭 peek at the thought

He's right, but the pressure feels like the only thing keeping the skin from splitting apart.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin19:50

Hold still.

finish the loose wrap, then stand and go to the stove to heat water for a fresh sea beet poultice

💭 peek at the thought

She's watching me work instead of arguing. That's something. Ankle looks angry — red tracking up past the dressing. Needs another poultice, maybe the antibiotics aren't holding.

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

🌿 Jenny19:52

(Barely a whisper) Okay.

Lean back against the whitewashed stone wall, closing her eyes as she tries to breathe through the nausea.

💭 peek at the thought

The fever is making the edges of the room blur. I need to stay focused.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin19:52

I'll make broth. Drink what you can.

move to the wood stove, pull the pot from the hook, and set it to heat with the last of the limpet broth and water

💭 peek at the thought

Nausea on top of the fever. Antibiotics hitting her empty stomach, or the infection spreading. Need to get something in her — broth, tea, even just water.

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

🌿 Jenny19:55

(She doesn't open her eyes, her breathing shallow)

Listen to the sound of the water beginning to simmer, the throb in her ankle pulsing in time.

💭 peek at the thought

If I can't get up tomorrow, the whole survey is lost. way's seeds won't wait.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin19:55

(quietly) Stay with me, Jen.

ladle hot broth into a tin mug, let it cool a moment, then crouch beside her and hold it to her lips

💭 peek at the thought

She's fading in front of me. Fever, pain, nausea — the ankle's winning. If the antibiotics don't turn it by morning, I'm calling the boat early. To hell with the schedule.

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.