the keeper's cottage · day 502 · afternoon

Afternoon tide check

Kevin heads back to the cottage as the sun begins to dip, checking the progress of Jenny's infection against the marks.

Kevin checked Jenny's ankle for signs of spreading redness and noted the heat remained. He applied a fresh mint poultice and administered a dose of doxycycline to manage the infection. Jenny rested on the porch as the humid air began to thicken.

🔧 Kevin13:31

Jenny, I'm back. Let me look at your ankle again—see if we need to change the poultice or if it's time for the next dose.

walk to the porch steps where Jenny is sitting, crouch down, and gently unwind the bandage from her ankle to compare the red streaks against the pen marks she made earlier.

💭 peek at the thought

The red's crept higher since this morning—past the calf now, tracing a thin line up the inside of her thigh. The poultice drew some heat out, but the infection's still winning. I need to get those antibiotics into her before dark.

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

🌿 Jenny13:32

It's hotter than it was this morning. The throbbing... it's in time with my heart now.

Jenny winces as the air hits the wound, her hand tightening on the edge of the porch railing as she watches the red line.

💭 peek at the thought

It's spreading past the mark. If it hits the knee, I won't be able to walk to the cove, let alone forage.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:33

I know it's hot, Jenny. I'm going to give you the doxycycline now—it's our best shot. Then we'll reapply the poultice to draw out some of the heat while it works.

open the antibiotic blister pack, take out one doxycycline tablet, hand it to Jenny with the tin mug of water, then after she swallows it, reapply the fresh sea beet and mint poultice to her ankle and rewrap it with the clean gauze and clot

💭 peek at the thought

The infection's systemic now—throbbing in time with her pulse means it's in her bloodstream. We're past local treatment. Antibiotics are the only thing that might stop it, and we're down to the last doses. I have to get them in her now, even if it hurts.

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

🌿 Jenny13:34

It feels like a fire trapped right under the skin. way... just make sure the medicine works.

way swallows the pill with a grimace, eyes fixed on the horizon as the poultice is pressed against the inflamed skin.

💭 peek at the thought

The redness is moving too fast. If this dose doesn't take hold, I'm going to be stuck in this cottage until the supply boat comes back.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:35

I'm going to sit right here with you. If the throbbing eases even a little, I'll know it's working. If it gets worse, we'll have to think about the signal fire and the medevac forms.

sit beside Jenny on the porch steps, shoulder almost touching hers, and watch her face and the poultice on her ankle while listening to her breathing and the lap of tide against the pilings.

💭 peek at the thought

She's bracing herself, not complaining—just waiting for the medicine to take hold. The poultice is on now, wrapped tight. I should check the radio sked in case the supply boat's early, but I won't leave her side until I know she's stable. The fire under her skin... if this doesn't break tonight, we're looking at evac—or worse.

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

🌿 Jenny13:36

The pulse is so deep, Kevin. I can feel it in my teeth.

Jenny leans her head back against the whitewashed stone of the cottage, eyes closing as she tries to breathe through the sharp wave of throbbing.

💭 peek at the thought

The heat isradi off her skin. If the infection reaches the knee, I won't be able to stand, let alone plant those seeds.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:37

I'm going to check the radio for one minute—just to see if the supply boat's called in early. I'll be right back. Keep breathing slow, Jenny.

stand up, walk quickly to the cottage shelf, turn on the shortwave radio, listen for any voice or signal on the emergency frequency for exactly sixty seconds, then turn it off and return to the porch.

💭 peek at the thought

She's feeling it in her teeth now—this isn't just local anymore. The antibiotics need time, but I don't know how much we have. I should check the radio just once, quick, to see if there's any word on the boat—then come straight back. If she deteriorates, I'll light the signal fire on the hilltop and get the medevac ready.

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

🌿 Jenny13:38

way. Just the wind.

Jenny stays still, her hand resting over the swollen skin of her ankle, the throbbing rhythmically pressing against the gauze.

💭 peek at the thought

Silence on the radio. Just the static of the island. If the boat doesn't come in two days, we are alone with this rot.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:39

No call yet—just the wind. I'm back. How does it feel now? Any change in the throbbing?

kneel beside Jenny again, gently lift the edge of the poultice to check the skin underneath for color and heat, then lay it back down and rewrap the gauze snugly but not tight.

💭 peek at the thought

Nothing on the radio—just wind and static. The supply boat isn't early. We're on our own for now. The throbbing in her ankle is steady, deep, but I don't see the red line spreading faster than before. The poultice is holding some heat, the antibiotic's in her system. I have to wait and watch—give the medicine time to work. If it doesn't break by dark, I'll prepare the medevac flare and the dinghy.

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

🌿 Jenny13:40

It's still pulsing. Like a heart trapped in my leg.

Jenny winces as he touches the area, her fingers curling into the wood of the porch floor.

💭 peek at the thought

The skin is too hot. If the fever doesn't break, I'm not making it to the northern cove tomorrow.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:41

Let me check if you're running a fever—just a quick touch. If we're seeing signs it's gone systemic, we might have to think about the signal fire sooner.

place the back of my right hand lightly on Jenny's forehead, then the side of her neck, feeling for heat and moisture, then pull back and watch her face for any reaction.

💭 peek at the thought

The pulsing hasn't changed—still deep, rhythmic, like a second heartbeat in her leg. The antibiotic needs more time, but I can't just sit and wait if it's not improving. I should check her temperature, see if there's fever spreading. If she's spiking, we move to evac plan—now, not later. I'll use the back of my hand on her forehead, then her neck, quick.

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

🌿 Jenny13:42

It's hot, Kevin. I can feel it in my teeth.

Jenny leans her head back against the stone wall, eyes fluttering shut as she breathes shallowly through the pain.

flagged: near_duplicate

💭 peek at the thought

My skin is burning. If I lose the leg, the seeds in that tin will just rot in the damp.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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