the keeper's cottage · day 901 · night

shelter from the storm

They are inside the cottage as the first heavy drops of rain hit the roof. The wind picks up, rattling the storm shutters.

The rain continues steadily against the cottage roof as the water tank reaches its maximum capacity. Jenny rests by the stove, her ankle throbbing despite the treatment, while Kevin prepares for the supply boat's arrival.

🔧 Kevin02:16

Kettle's on. You want the broth hot or warm?

set the iron kettle on the wood stove and pull the tin mug from the shelf

💭 peek at the thought

Storm's building faster than the barometer said it would. Need to check the generator fuel line and make sure the dinghy's bow line has proper slack for the swell. Jenny's ankle won't take another day of this damp.

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

🌿 Jenny02:17

Hot. As hot as it gets.

Sink into the chair and prop the swollen ankle up on a stool.

💭 peek at the thought

I can't even think about the temperature. Everything just feels heavy and damp.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin02:18

Broth'll be ready in five. Got limpets in the pot from this morning's tide.

ladle steaming limpet broth into the tin mug and set it on the table beside her chair

💭 peek at the thought

She's favouring it bad today. The red streaks tracked past the ankle bone yesterday — she didn't say, but I saw the pen marks on her skin when I changed the poultice. Three days to the boat if the sea holds.

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

🌿 Jenny02:18

Thanks.

Reach for the mug and wrap both hands around the hot metal to warm my fingers.

💭 peek at the thought

Limpets. Salty, rubbery, and the only thing keeping me from crashing. My ankle is pulsing in time with the rain.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin02:20

Eat slow. There's corned beef in the tin if you're still hungry after.

pull the other chair close and sit, the shortwave static filling the silence between rain bursts

💭 peek at the thought

Her fingers are cold. Always cold now. The antibiotics are holding the line but the joint's hot to touch — she's running a low fever again. Should check the metronidazole count after she drinks.

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

🌿 Jenny02:20

I'm not that hungry.

Take a small, cautious sip of the broth and glance toward the shortwave radio.

💭 peek at the thought

He's hovering. I can feel it. He wants to talk about the boat or the radio, but I just want the noise to stop.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

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