the keeper's cottage · day 833 · evening

Evening radio watch and supper

Kevin and Jenny sit at the kitchen table as rain hammers the roof. The shortwave is warmed up, volume low, tuned to 2182. A pot of limpets simmers on the stove. Jenny's ankle is elevated on a chair, the poultice fresh. Kevin has the mic in hand, ready to call the supply boat at 2000.

Kevin cleans Jenny's infected ankle and applies a fresh sea beet and mint poultice. Jenny takes two metronidazole tablets with some warm broth while they watch the thickening clouds gather over the island. The air grows heavy as they wait for the supply boat's arrival next day.

🔧 Kevin01:25

2182, this is Sorrel Island caretaker, over.

key the mic and wait for the radio to settle

💭 peek at the thought

Barometer's still dropping. 2000 hours — time to call. Need to hear the captain's voice, confirm the window. Jenny's ankle heat hasn't broken yet.

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

🌿 Jenny01:25

The air is heavy, Kevin. Look at the clouds.

Trace the edge of the seed tin with a trembling finger.

💭 peek at the thought

The barometer is dropping too fast for a boat to be safe tomorrow.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:26

(releasing mic) Cloud base is dropping. Wind'll back southwest by midnight.

set the mic down, reach for the barometer to tap the glass

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. Cloud's low and pressing. Southwest swell'll be building under it. Barometer at 1004 and falling — supply boat won't make the window if this keeps up.

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

🌿 Jenny01:27

It doesn't matter. The island decides anyway.

Pull the poultice off the ankle and hiss at the heat.

💭 peek at the thought

If the boat doesn't come, the seeds will rot in this humidity.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:28

Let me see.

lean over, pull the chair closer, probe the edges of the wound with two fingers

💭 peek at the thought

Ankle's angry. Red tracking past the calf now. Fever's still in her. Need to re-pack it, get the metronidazole down her.

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

🌿 Jenny01:29

Don't touch it. It's throbbing.

way the leg away and

💭 peek at the thought

It's still hot. The fever isn't breaking.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:30

It's spreading. I'll be quick.

reach for the clean gauze and sea beet poultice on the shelf, keeping one hand steady on her calf

💭 peek at the thought

She's protecting it. Fever's making her irritable. Can't let it fester — seen this go septic fast. Need to clean and re-pack whether she likes it or not.

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

🌿 Jenny01:31

Just wrap it. I'm too tired.

close eyes and listen to the rain on the tin.

💭 peek at the thought

The red line is moving. I can feel it pulsing.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:32

Swallow these first.

press two metronidazole tablets and the tin mug of warm broth into her hand

💭 peek at the thought

She's fading. Fever's taken the fight out of her. Wrap it clean, get the pills in her, let her sleep. Radio can wait ten minutes.

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

🌿 Jenny01:33

Everything is damp.

take a sip of broth and force the pills down.

💭 peek at the thought

I can't even swallow properly with a throat this dry.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:34

(quiet) Won't be long.

lift her calf gently, wipe the old poultice away with clean gauze, spread fresh sea beet and mint thick over the wound, bind it snug with the last clean strip

💭 peek at the thought

Good. Pills down. Now the ankle, then the radio. Rain's not letting up.

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

🌿 Jenny01:35

It's way quiet.

lean head back against the wall and watch the radio dial.

💭 peek at the thought

The heat is coming through the bandage before it even sets.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin01:36

They're not coming tonight.

pick the mic back up, key it once more — Sorrel Island, standing by on 2182. Over.

💭 peek at the thought

She means the radio. Static on 2182 — no supply boat, no coast guard, no other traffic. Just atmospherics. Barometer's still falling. Storm's close.

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

🌿 Jenny01:37

We'll know tomorrow.

reach for the tin of seeds and touch the cold metal.

💭 peek at the thought

If the boat doesn't come, I run out of gauze.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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