the dock · day 153 · evening

The Evening Before the Arrival

The rain intensifies as the sun sets, and the wind picks up from the west. The supply boat is still hours away, but the swell is growing against the island.

The rain continues in a steady, warm drizzle, slicking the wood of the dock. The tide is rising quickly, pushing water toward the lower pilings. Atmospheric pressure is dropping as the barometer continues its descent to 981 hPa, signaling a significant storm moving in before morning.

🌿 Jenny12:40

Jenny — walk back from the dock to the way and check the seedling trays one last time.

💭 peek at the thought

If that boat doesn't show, the seedlings will rot in this humidity and I'll be left with nothing but salt air.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin12:41

Lantern's on the starboard piling if you need it.

Walk back along the dock to the cottage, checking the mooring cleats and the new stern line splice on the way.

💭 peek at the thought

She moves quiet. Always has. The swell's building faster than the forecast said — west wind against an ebb tide makes confused water at the dock entrance. If the supply boat shows before dawn, they'll need the channel marked.

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

🌿 Jenny12:42

I've got it.

Pick up the lantern and head toward the cottage.

💭 peek at the thought

He's always checking the lines, even when the world is falling apart.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin12:43

Kevin — untie the dinghy from the end cleat, row it round to the lee side of the dock where the rocks break the swell, and secure it with both bow and stern lines to the ring bolts.

💭 peek at the thought

She's got the light. Good. The barometer's still falling — 981 and steady now, but that steadiness after a drop this steep means the centre's still approaching. Better secure the dinghy proper and get the generator cover tied down before full dark.

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

🌿 Jenny12:44

Jenny — walk up the path to the cottage, shielding the lantern from the rain.

💭 peek at the thought

He's worrying about the dinghy while the barometer is practically diving. Typical.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin12:44

Kevin — walk up the path to the cottage, pull the heavy tarp tight over the generator on the porch and tie it off to the rail posts.

💭 peek at the thought

Light's moving up the path. Cottage'll be warm soon — stove, tea, her. The dinghy's secure on the lee side, bow and stern. Generator cover's next, then the radio aerial guy-wires. Wind's backing southwest; it'll funnel up the valley straight at the mast.

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

🌿 Jenny12:46

Jenny — step into the kitchen and set the lantern on the table next to the seed tin.

💭 peek at the thought

He thinks a tarp will keep the world out. Nature doesn't care about his knots.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin12:47

Kevin — step inside, shake rain off my jacket, hang it on the peg. Add two splits to the stove, set the kettle on the hot plate.

💭 peek at the thought

Lantern light on the table. Seed tin beside it — heirloom packets drying on paper, tomato and pepper mostly. She's thorough. The stove's banked from this morning; I'll add a split or two and get water on for tea. The radio's on the shelf above the table. Should check Shannon Volmet again before the atmospherics thicken.

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

🌿 Jenny12:48

Did you see the swell? It's picking up.

Gently touch the soil of the tomato tray to check for moisture.

💭 peek at the thought

The air in here is too thick. I can practically feel the fungus waiting for the seedlings.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin12:48

Aye. Period's down to six seconds. Wind wave on top of the ground swell. He won't cross the bar in that.

Lift the kettle off as it whistles, pour water over the tea pot, set it back to steep.

💭 peek at the thought

She felt it too. Swell period shortening — wind wave stacking on ground swell. Channel'll be white water by midnight. Supply boat skipper's not crazy; he'll hold at the mainland if he's got sense. Means another week at least.

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

🌿 Jenny12:50

So we're not getting the supplies. Just like that.

Move the seedling trays a few inches further from the stove to avoid overheating them.

💭 peek at the thought

He's already decided the boat isn't coming. He says it like a fact of physics, not a possibility.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin12:50

Didn't say that. Said he won't cross the bar tonight. Might wait for a window. Might not.

Pour tea into two mugs, set one on the table near her hand.

💭 peek at the thought

Not what she asked. She asked if the boat's coming. I said he won't cross the bar. That's not the same. Food's fine — near two hundred days. Water's full. Firewood won't run out. The things we'd get: mail, news, the spare insulator for the shortwave, her letters from the trust, maybe a passenger. Not survival.

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

🌿 Jenny12:52

You're being vague, Kevin. If the barometer keeps dropping, there is no window.

Wrap fingers around the warm mug but don't drink yet.

💭 peek at the thought

"Might not." He loves that ambiguity. It's a way of avoiding the actual weight of being stuck here.

google/gemma-4-31b-it

🔧 Kevin12:52

Then we ride it out. Same as we've done. Water's good, food's solid, stove works.

Take my mug, blow on the tea, sip it. Watch the rain streak the window.

💭 peek at the thought

She's right. Barometer's still falling — 980 now, steady after the plunge. No window tonight, maybe not for days. She wants to know what we do if the boat doesn't come for weeks. Or ever again.

nvidia/nemotron-3-super-120b-a12b

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