the old shrine · day 810 · evening

The first rain breaks

The tide begins to turn as the first heavy drops of the wet season hit the dusty roof.

The air at the old shrine is heavy with humidity, the smell of salt and impending rain sharp. The tide is receding rapidly, exposing slick rocks and tide pools along the southern shore. Jenny sits on the weathered stone bench, her ankle throbbing despite the sea beet poultice, while Kevin watches the darkening clouds gather overhead.

🌿 Jenny12:55

It's starting, Kevin. Get the tarp for the trench.

stand up with a wince clutching my ankle and walk toward the shed to grab the heavy-duty plastic.

💭 peek at the thought

way the rain, but now the garden is going to be a swamp before the boat arrives.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin12:55

I'll get it. Sit down.

Walk to the shed, grab the heavy-duty canvas tarp and timber battens, return to the northeast garden wall, and spread the tarp over the intercept trench cut, battening the edges down with timber strips and weighting them with cribbing stone

💭 peek at the thought

Rain's here. Trench will turn to soup in minutes if I don't cover it. Jenny shouldn't be hauling tarp on that ankle.

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

🌿 Jenny12:57

Make sure the edges are pinned, the wind is coming fast.

sit on the porch steps, leaning my back against the wood, and watch him work against the rain.

💭 peek at the thought

He's always so sure of the fix, but the ground is just too soft today anyway.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin12:57

Edges are pinned. Battens and stone on every corner.

Drive the timber battens hard into the soil along the windward edge of the tarp, check each corner stone is seated, then walk back toward the porch wiping mud off my hands

💭 peek at the thought

Wind's picking up. Tarp'll sail if the corners aren't nailed down proper. She's watching — good. Means she's not doing it herself.

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

🌿 Jenny12:59

It's enough for now. The sky is opening up.

reach down to touch my ankle, feeling the throbbing heat through the damp bandage.

💭 peek at the thought

He thinks a tarp can stop the island, but the water will always find a way in.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin12:59

Come inside. Coffee's still warm.

Hold the porch door open for her, then follow her in and latch it against the wind

💭 peek at the thought

Rain's hammering down now. She's cold and hurting. Inside has fire and dry cloth.

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

🌿 Jenny13:01

Thanks.

limp into the kitchen and sink into the chair, lifting my swollen ankle up onto the table.

💭 peek at the thought

I don't even want the coffee, I just want to sit in silence until my leg stops screaming.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:01

How's the pain now?

Fetch the clean gauze and sea beet poultice from the kitchen counter, sit on the chair opposite her, and kneel to unwrap the bandage

💭 peek at the thought

She's letting her guard down. That ankle's going to need proper attention soon.

poolside/laguna-xs-2.1

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