the keeper's cottage · day 871 · midday

Sheltering out the storm

You and Jenny sit together inside the cottage as the wind howls through the eaves, waiting for the rain to break.

Kevin struggles to drive the helical anchors into the northeast foundation as the heavy rain turns the soil slick and resistant. Jenny remains in the cottage, battling her fever and tending to her ankle while the storm intensifies.

🌿 Jenny05:57

The roof's going to hold until the boat comes.

Reach out to touch Jenny's hand, wincing as the movement shifts the bandage on my leg.

💭 peek at the thought

The fever is making my head spin, and my ankle feels like it's in a vice.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin05:58

It'll hold.

Shift on the bench to face her, reach out and cover her hand with mine, thumb brushing the back of her knuckles — steady, not gripping.

💭 peek at the thought

She's trying to convince herself more than me. The tarp battening held last week, but wind like this finds every gap.

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

🌿 Jenny05:59

I hope so.

Lean my head back against the cold stone wall, closing my eyes against the pulse of the fever.

💭 peek at the thought

He always says that, but I can see the rot in the floorboards.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin06:00

Get some rest. I'll wake you for the next dose.

Rise from the bench, move to the stove, ladle hot water into the tin mug with the broth dregs, stir in a spoon of coffee grounds, let it steep.

💭 peek at the thought

Fever's still climbing. She's burning through the antibiotics but the infection's got days of head start. Need to check the wound again when the poultice is due.

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

🌿 Jenny06:01

Don't be too long.

Curl up on the cot, listening to the water hitting the metal.

💭 peek at the thought

I can't sleep with the rain drumming that loud on the tank.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin06:02

Back in a minute.

Carry the mug to the radio shelf, uncoil the spare coax, strip the last half-inch of braid with the knife, twist the center conductor tight, thread it into the PL-259 body, crimp the ferrule with the heavy pliers, then lift the headset and

💭 peek at the thought

She's not talking about the coffee. She means the radio. The letter. The thing between us that's been hardening like epoxy in damp air.

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

🌿 Jenny06:03

Jenny — watch the shadow of the stove on the wall, counting the beats in my ankle.

💭 peek at the thought

If the radio doesn't catch, we're truly alone in this storm.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin06:04

Sorrel Island, Sorrel Island, this is Zulu Juliet Seven Niner, over.

Hold the mic keyed, head tilted to catch the return through the crackle, fingers loose on the PTT.

💭 peek at the thought

Static first. Then the carrier wave hum. 2182 clear tonight — atmospherics actually helping for once.

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

🌿 Jenny06:05

Come on, talk.

Tighten my grip on the mug, listening to the white noise in the headset.

💭 peek at the thought

Just static. The storm is eating the signal.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin06:06

Sorrel Island, this is Zulu Juliet Seven Niner on 4375, radio check, over.

Spin the dial, wait for the needle to settle, key the mic again, listen.

💭 peek at the thought

Nothing. Just the hiss. Could be propagation, could be they're not listening, could be the aerial's still shredded too bad. Try the trust's working frequency.

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

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