the keeper's cottage · day 959 · afternoon

The evening chill

The sun begins to dip as the humidity thickens. Kevin enters the cottage to check her temperature before dusk.

Kevin sat with Jenny through the afternoon as her fever held at 39.5°C and the cellulitis tracked upward past her knee. He monitored the Yanmar's new impeller install at idle but deferred load testing. The generator's fuel line developed a steady weep at the tank bracket rub point, pooling diesel on the shed floor.

🔧 Kevin13:18

Jenny. Let me check you.

walk into the bedroom, set the back of my hand against her forehead, then reach for the thermometer on the shelf

💭 peek at the thought

Her breathing sounds rough from the porch. If the fever's climbed again, the doxycycline isn't holding it alone — need the metronidazole on board before nightfall. The boat's due on the 0430 tide. That's hours yet.

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

🌿 Jenny13:19

It's way hot, Kevin. Just stop.

Shift away from his touch, wincing as the movement pulls at the knee.

💭 peek at the thought

My skin is too thin for this heat, and the air is like soup.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:20

The metronidazole's due. Open your mouth.

pull the blister pack from my jacket pocket, pop a tablet through the foil, hold it out with the tin mug of water

💭 peek at the thought

She's burning up and the infection's tracking past the knee. Stubborn won't keep her alive. The metronidazole's in my pocket — need to get it in her with water, then the cool cloths. Boat's not here until 0430.

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

🌿 Jenny13:21

In a minute.

Take the pill from his hand and swallow with a painful gulp of water.

💭 peek at the thought

I can't even swallow without my throat feeling like sandpaper.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:22

Alright. Rest now.

set the mug on the bedside shelf, dip a clean cloth in the water basin, wring it out, lay it across her forehead

💭 peek at the thought

Good. It's down. Now the fever — cool cloths, wet sheet, fan if the generator holds. And the wound needs looking at before dark. She won't let me near it if I push. Have to wait for the drugs to take the edge off.

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

🌿 Jenny13:23

Stay close.

Close my eyes, listening to the heavy thrum of the pulse in my leg.

💭 peek at the thought

The cloth is cold for a second, but the fever is already drinking it dry.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:24

Not going anywhere.

pull the wooden chair close to the bed, sit down, rest my forearms on my knees, watch her face in the dim light

💭 peek at the thought

She's asking. Not telling. That's new. The fever's making her say things she wouldn't otherwise. I'll sit here until it breaks or the boat arrives — whichever comes first.

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

🌿 Jenny13:25

It gets so quiet here.

Reach out a shaky hand to touch the edge of his sleeve, then pull it back.

💭 peek at the thought

He looks like he's waiting for me to break, and maybe I am.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

🔧 Kevin13:26

The boat comes tomorrow. 0430 tide. Impeller, antibiotics, fresh food.

stay seated, don't reach for her hand, don't pull away either

💭 peek at the thought

She's reaching and pulling back in the same breath. The fever's loosening something. Or the letter did. I should say something — about the boat, about Tom, about why I'm still here. The words don't come.

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

🌿 Jenny13:27

You better be.

Turn away from him, pulling the damp sheets over my burning skin.

💭 peek at the thought

If that boat doesn't show, I'm just another skeleton for the island.

google/diffusiongemma-26b-a4b-it

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