the old shrine · day 971 · evening

Evening Meal Preparation

The sun begins to dip as the tide reaches its peak. Kevin and Jenny meet in the kitchen to prepare the evening meal.

Kevin and Jenny meet at the old shrine as the south-east wind kicks salt spray off the reef. They observe the rising tide and discuss the approaching supply boat while Jenny struggles with the pain in her ankle.

🔧 Kevin08:54

Generator's been steady since the splice. Fuel line holding at three bar. You want the last of the corned beef or the mackerel?

walk to the workbench and run a thumb along the generator fuel line joint, feeling for weep

💭 peek at the thought

The light's going flat. Good time to check the fuel line splice one more time before dark — generator's the only thing keeping the radio charged if the wind dies.

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

🌿 Jenny08:54

Mackerel. I can't stomach the beef again.

Limp toward the counter and lean heavily against it, glancing at the seed tin.

💭 peek at the thought

He's still talking to me in technical specs. I can't even get a 'how's your leg?' without a fuel pressure reading first.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin08:56

Mackerel it is. Tin's on the shelf by the stove. I'll get the fork.

open the cupboard, pull down the tin of mackerel and a fork, set them on the counter near her

💭 peek at the thought

She's favouring the left side harder today. The poultice isn't pulling enough heat out. Need to change it before bed, maybe add pine resin this time — turpenes slow the spread when the antibiotics are still eight days out.

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

🌿 Jenny08:57

Thanks.

Reach for the tin, but keep my weight shifted off the infected ankle, staring at the way he avoids looking at my leg.

💭 peek at the thought

He's being efficient. Helpful, but efficient. Like he's managing a piece of equipment instead of his wife.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin08:58

Water's hot on the stove if you want broth with it. I'll check the generator oil while it heats.

turn to the stove, lift the kettle lid to check the water level

💭 peek at the thought

She caught me not looking. Fine. Let her think it's squeamishness. Easier than explaining the five points of heat I still feel on my forearm from the last time I held her down for the debridement.

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

🌿 Jenny08:58

I'll take the broth.

Open the mackerel tin with a sharp click and push a small portion toward him.

💭 peek at the thought

He's retreating. If he can just keep his hands on a machine, he doesn't have to deal with the fact that I'm falling apart.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin09:00

Ta.

take the offered portion, fork a piece into my mouth, chew slowly while watching the kettle steam

💭 peek at the thought

She's pushing food at me. Means she's worried I haven't eaten. Or she's trying to make the silence useful. Either way, the mackerel's good protein and the broth'll stretch it.

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

🌿 Jenny09:01

The boat should be here in three days.

Take a bite of fish, wincing as the throbbing in my ankle pulses.

💭 peek at the thought

At least he's eating. Even if the silence is louder than the wind outside.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin09:03

Good. Means we'll get the antibiotics resupply when she comes.

wipe my mouth with the back of my hand, lean against the counter opposite her, eye the generator set to check fuel line

💭 peek at the thought

Three days is three too many. The infection's tracking past the poultice margin, and I can see it in the red line I marked this morning. If it crosses that line, I need to debride twice daily and add pine resin to the sea beet poultice.

poolside/laguna-xs-2.1

🌿 Jenny09:03

Let's hope she shows up.

Trace the rim of the mackerel tin with a finger, feeling the cold metal.

💭 peek at the thought

If the boat doesn't come, I'm going to run out of hope before I do.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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