the keeper's cottage · day 860 · afternoon

The Approaching Rain

The wind picks up from the east, and the first heavy drops of the wet season hit the dust. You and Jenny meet at the cottage door as the sky turns dark grey.

The humidity is heavy over the cottage as the pressure continues to drop before the expected rain. Kevin prepares to treat Jenny's ankle while she watches the rising tide, feeling the persistent ache of the infection.

🔧 Kevin11:50

Rain's here. Tank's full. You good on the porch?

step onto the porch and lean into the doorframe, watching the sky darken over the garden

💭 peek at the thought

Wind's east. Barometer's rising but the sky's wrong for it. Wet season hitting early. She's at the door — ankle, eyes, the way she holds herself. We meet in the middle every time.

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

🌿 Jenny11:51

I'm fine. Just a bit slow today.

Limp past him into the kitchen and set the notebook on the table.

💭 peek at the thought

He's watching the sky, but he isn't looking at me. I can feel the pulse in my ankle humming in time with the wind.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin11:52

Coffee's on. Mug by the stove.

follow her in, pull the kettle forward on the wood stove, and pour two tins

💭 peek at the thought

She says fine. Limp says otherwise. Notebook on the table means she's still recording — that's something.

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

🌿 Jenny11:53

Thanks.

Sit heavily in the kitchen chair and begin unwrapping the gauze from my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's trying to be helpful, but the smell of the coffee just makes me feel more tired. I need to get my ankle looked at.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin11:54

Kevin — set the tin mugs down on the table, pull the chair out opposite her, and sit without touching the ankle — just watching

💭 peek at the thought

Heavy in the chair. Unwrapping it herself — hasn't asked me to. The gauze comes off slow. I'll watch the margins, smell it, know before she says.

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

🌿 Jenny11:55

It's throbbing again.

Pull back the damp bandage to reveal the red, angry skin around the wound.

💭 peek at the thought

He's waiting for me to say it hurts, but I'm too tired to explain the pain.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin11:56

Spread past the mark. Hotter.

reach for the medical kit on the shelf, pull out the last clean gauze roll, the antiseptic cream, and the scalpel — lay them on the table in order

💭 peek at the thought

Red's spread past yesterday's pen line. Heat rising off it. Infection's tracking despite the poultice and the doxy. She's not flinching.

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

🌿 Jenny11:57

I know. Just clean it.

Lean back against the chair and brace myself, ankle extended out on the table.

💭 peek at the thought

He's being clinical again. It's easier for him than being worried.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin11:59

Kevin — fill the basin with warm saline from the tap, set the scalpel in her hand, and lean forward to steady her wrist without touching her ankle

💭 peek at the thought

Just clean it. She's not asking for more. Not asking me to stop. Just needs the scalpel and the salt water.

poolside/laguna-xs-2.1

🌿 Jenny11:59

Hold me steady.

Dip the scalpel into the saline and carefully begin to lancing the pocket of pus.

💭 peek at the thought

He knows I can't stand for him to do it. He trusts my hands more than he trusts my mood.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

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