Day 346

The chapter for this day hasn't been written yet — it's written once the day closes.

Scenes

the garden · dawn

Midmorning Heat Soak

Kevin and Jenny sit under the shade cloth as the heat begins to shimmer over the sand. Jenny checks the lettuce cells in the trays for fungal fuzz while Kevin sorts the drying mint sprigs on the tray.

The brutal heat beats down on the garden as the air shimmers over the sand. The tide is receding rapidly, exposing the rocks of the tide pools. Kevin checks Jenny's ankle for signs of infection while she prepares to cook the morning meal.

🔧 Kevin04:13

Mint's ready. Want me to jar it while you're at the trays?

Crumble a sprig between thumb and forefinger, testing the dryness, then start stripping leaves into the tin.

💭 thought

She's moving slower than yesterday. The lettuce trays don't need checking this often — she's making work to stay sitting down. The mint's dry enough to crumble. I should jar it before the salt air takes the oil out of it.

🌿 Jenny04:13

Yes, please. Just... keep it airtight.

lean closer to the trays, squinting at the soil line of the remaining lettuce cells.

💭 thought

I can't even look at the lettuce without wanting to cry. If the fungus wins, it's just one more thing I've let die here.

🔧 Kevin04:15

Two lettuce cells holding. Three peppers. Tomatoes and basil clean.

Finish stripping the last of the mint, tap the tin on my palm to settle it, screw the lid down tight. Set it on the shelf beside the heirloom tins.

💭 thought

She's hunched over those trays like she's reading something written in the soil. The damping-off's already claimed four cells — she knows this. She's counting what's left.

🌿 Jenny04:15

It's not enough. It's barely a handful of greens.

reach out to touch the soil of a healthy tomato seedling, then pull my hand back quickly.

💭 thought

Only two. It's a massacre. I can feel the heat from my ankle radiating through my trousers, a dull, rhythmic throb that makes the world tilt.

🔧 Kevin04:17

It's what we have. The sea beet's coming on. Potatoes in six weeks if the blight holds off.

Pick up the watering can, check the rose for blockage, water the tomato and basil rows at the base — not the leaves.

💭 thought

She's not talking about the lettuce. She's talking about all of it — the garden, the supplies, the time. The tomato seedling's fine. She knows it's fine. She touched it just to feel something growing.

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the garden · morning

Morning Heat and Low Tide

The tide continues to pull away, revealing more of the reef shelf. The heat index is intensifying, making the shade cloth over the tomatoes essential.

Kevin ran the Yanmar at the dock under load, confirming the vibration fix held at 1800 RPM. Jenny's ankle infection worsened despite cold packs and elevation, with red streaks spreading and fever rising.

🔧 Kevin04:17

Kevin — walk back to the cottage to check Jenny's ankle and temperature

💭 thought

Heat's climbing faster than the tide's dropping. Need to get the Yanmar run done before the supply boat window — if she shows. Jenny's ankle first, then the dock.

🌿 Jenny04:19

I'm still here.

Close the notebook and lean back against the porch railing, trying to keep my leg still.

💭 thought

I can feel him coming. I hope the streaks haven't climbed any higher since he last looked.

🔧 Kevin04:19

Let me see it.

crouch down and carefully unwrap the ankle brace to inspect the wound

💭 thought

She's trying to make light of it. Ankle's swollen past the brace line. Fever's in her eyes.

🌿 Jenny04:21

It feels... tighter.

Hold my breath and look away toward the garden weeds.

💭 thought

Please don't let them be higher. If he sees them moving toward my knee, he's going to start talking about the medevac forms again.

🔧 Kevin04:21

It's spreading. I'm out of antibiotics. We have to get the fever down — cold packs, elevation, fluids. And I need to run the Yanmar at load before the boat window closes.

press the back of my hand to her forehead to check temperature, then stand and head inside for the cold pack and water canteen

💭 thought

Red streaks tracking up past the ankle now. Skin hot to touch. This isn't waiting.

🌿 Jenny04:23

I can help with the fluids.

Try to shift my leg up onto the porch bench, wincing as the movement pulls at the skin.

💭 thought

Spreading. He said it. The word is out. He's already thinking about the engine while I'm rotting from the ankle up.

🔧 Kevin04:23

Drink steady. I'll be back before the tide turns.

grab the cold pack from the cool box, fill the canteen from the tank, set both beside her on the porch, then walk down to the dock

💭 thought

She's trying to be useful. Good. Keeps her mind off the pain. Need to move fast — cold packs, water, then the engine while the tide's still low enough to load the prop properly.

🌿 Jenny04:25

Jenny — reach for the canteen with shaking hands and take a slow, measured swallow.

💭 thought

"Drink steady." Like I'm a plant he's watering. He's so focused on that engine, on the mechanics of leaving, that he can't see I'm becoming a specimen.

🔧 Kevin04:25

Kevin — start the Yanmar on the dinghy, let it warm at idle, then bring it up to 1800 RPM under load against the dock lines

💭 thought

Hands shaking. Fever's climbing. No antibiotics left. If the supply boat doesn't show in eight days — if she doesn't show — I run the dinghy myself. Engine vibration be damned.

🌿 Jenny04:27

Jenny — press the cold pack firmly against the heat of my ankle and pick up the notebook to stare at the sea beet sketches.

💭 thought

That vibration. I can feel it in the porch boards. He's pushing it, trying to force the machine to be perfect while I'm falling apart.

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the dock · midday

Midday at the dock and north cliffs

Kevin is at the dock securing the dinghy after the Yanmar test; Jenny is at the north cliffs attempting the Carex transect despite her condition.

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What changed

Jenny is well again.

healed · dawn

The season has turned wet.

season · dawn

3 intentions for today.

plan · dawn

×2

Found: cold pack.

item · morning

Found: canteen.

item · morning

Yanmar runs clean at load with no vibration; prop shaft true and bronze sleeve secure

discovery · morning

infection has breached local containment; systemic symptoms (fever, nausea) indicate bloodstream involvement risk

discovery · morning

The rain tank gained about 25 litres.

weather · morning

Kevin and Jenny ate.

meal · morning

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