the keeper's cottage · day 800 · afternoon

A Quiet Stretch

Back at the cottage.

Kevin finishes re-wrapping Jenny's ankle with a fresh sea beet and mint poultice, ensuring the gauze is not too tight this time. He heads into the cottage to boil water for coffee while Jenny stays on the steps, watching the light shift as the tide begins to rise.

🌿 Jenny02:57

(Nothing, yet.)

Sit on the porch steps, rubbing the ankle, and watch the light shift over the weeds.

💭 peek at the thought

My stomach is a hollow ache and this ankle is throbbing with every heartbeat. I need to eat before I lose the strength to even move.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:57

Want me to re-wrap it before the light goes?

walk over to the porch steps, wipe hands on trousers, crouch down beside her ankle to check the wrapping

💭 peek at the thought

She's favouring it again. The swelling hasn't gone down like I told myself it would.

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

🌿 Jenny02:59

Yeah. It's getting tight again.

Lean back against the whitewashed stone wall and close eyes as he works.

💭 peek at the thought

He's being helpful, but I'm too tired to even explain how much the salt is biting the skin.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin02:59

Hold still.

unwrap the gauze carefully, inspect the ankle, clean with the last of the saline, apply fresh sea beet and mint poultice, re-wrap with clean gauze not too tight this time

💭 peek at the thought

The heat's making it swell. Same as yesterday. Same as the day before. I should've checked it at noon.

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

🌿 Jenny03:01

Thanks, Kevin.

Let out a way breath and watch his hands de-clutter the space.

💭 peek at the thought

The cool of the poultice helps the heat, but I'm still so hungry I could eat the seed tin.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin03:01

Finish the broth. I'll put the kettle on.

stand up, brush off knees, walk to the kitchen, set the kettle on the wood stove, pull two tin mugs from the shelf

💭 peek at the thought

She's tired. We both are. The antibiotics should've kicked harder by now.

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

🌿 Jenny03:03

Don't take too long.

Reach for the bowl of broth, hands trembling slightly, wait for the water to boil.

💭 peek at the thought

The smell of the broth is making my stomach growl. I haven't had anything substantial since yesterday.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin03:03

Won't be a minute.

fill the kettle from the tank tap, light the stove, spoon coffee into both mugs, wait for the boil

💭 peek at the thought

The tremor's new. Or I just never noticed it before. Coffee first, then I check the radio schedule.

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

🌿 Jenny03:05

I'm starving.

Pick up the spoon and watch the steam rise from the bowl.

💭 peek at the thought

Four days until the boat. If it doesn't come, I'll have to start eating the seeds just to feel something real.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin03:05

Eat slow. More where that came from.

pour boiling water over coffee grounds, let it steep, set her mug on the porch rail, sit on the top step with my own, watch her eat

💭 peek at the thought

She hasn't eaten proper in two days. The infection's taking more than the ankle.

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

🌿 Jenny03:07

It's good, Kevin.

Sip the broth slowly, looking out at the half-eaten garden.

💭 peek at the thought

The broth is warm, but the hunger is still a sharp thing in my gut. I need to stop watching the weeds.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin03:07

The spuds are in. North ridge beds. Three rows.

sip coffee, set mug down, pull the letter from my pocket, turn it over in my hands

💭 peek at the thought

The potatoes I planted this morning won't show for weeks. The tomatoes are struggling. She sees all of it.

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.