the old shrine · day 913 · evening

Evening before the boat

The sun begins to dip, but the temperature barely drops under the overcast sky. You meet at the garden to discuss the plan for tomorrow's delivery.

The air at the shrine is heavy with pre-storm humidity, the 31°C heat clinging to everything under a flat, thickening sky. The low tide has exposed the jagged rocks of the shore, but the focus remains on the approaching boat and the discovery of a fallen seabird chick lying shivering on the cliff ledges below.

🔧 Kevin12:41

Barometer's steady. We're good for the boat tomorrow at high tide. I've got the impeller and filters ready - they'll go straight into the Yanmar. Your ankle needs another poultice before bed, and I'll pack your meds in the ditch bag.

Walk to the shrine to check the garden wall gap, then return to the cottage to prepare Jenny's ankle treatment and organize the supply crate contents.

💭 peek at the thought

The barometer's holding at 1011, but I need to make sure every critical item is packed in the ditch bag before dark. Jenny's ankle's still throbbing, and that shrine gap in the wall's weeping again with this humidity.

poolside/laguna-xs-2.1

🌿 Jenny12:41

Make sure the bag is waterproof. The humidity is already acting up again.

sketch the morphology of the sea beet near the shrine in my notebook.

💭 peek at the thought

If the boat doesn't come, the pump stays broken and the seeds stay in the tin. I'm so tired of fighting the salt.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin12:43

Dry bag's sealed. I'll wax the tin E lid again before we turn in. You need a hand carrying the notebook back?

Walk back toward the cottage, checking the ditch bag's waterproof seal and the seed tin E on the stove shelf as I pass.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right about the humidity - everything feels slick already. The dry bag's good but I should double-check the seal on the seed tin too. She's sketching at the shrine... that stone with 'E' on it.

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

🌿 Jenny12:43

I've got it. Just need a minute to finish this sketch.

walk back to the cottage, clutching the notebook to my chest.

💭 peek at the thought

He thinks wax will fix everything. The rot in the soil doesn't wait for wax.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin12:44

Take your time. Coffee's on the stove if you want it.

Check the ditch bag seal by the loft ladder, then re-wax the tin E lid on the stove shelf and verify the spare impeller's staged for tomorrow.

💭 peek at the thought

She's stubborn about that ankle but she knows her limits. The sketch matters to her - sea beet morphology at the shrine elevation. I'll let her be. Got the ditch bag and tin E to secure, then the Yanmar impeller change tomorrow if the boat makes it.

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

🌿 Jenny12:44

Thanks.

sit on the porch steps and slowly unwrap the gauze from my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

I can't even think about coffee. My stomach is a knot.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin12:46

Let me see. Hold still.

Crouch beside her on the porch steps, lantern light catching the ankle. Clean hands, fresh gauze, sea beet-mint-honey poultice from the kitchen. Debride gently, re-wrap tight.

💭 peek at the thought

The gauze comes away slow. She's careful but the swelling's up past the malleolus again, skin shiny tight. Red streaks tracking toward the calf. That's not healing. That's spreading. She won't say it but her breath catches.

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

🌿 Jenny12:47

It's not as swollen as yesterday.

lean back against the porch railing and close my eyes, feeling the cool poultice settle.

💭 peek at the thought

He's so focused on the wound. He doesn't see the way I'm looking at the ridge.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

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