this morning is the real start of the hots.
eyes are bleary
legs stiff
the first rays of the sun seem to sear the flesh…
.
the merry band that deboarded the buses is no more.
the virgins are now veterans
and the veterans remember the whole story…
.
they know what is coming.
and what has been so far is barely a foretaste of how hard this will be.
.
the rock seemed far away yesterday…
.
today it has receded beyond even the wildest imagination.
no one is thinking about the rock this morning.
survival is the sole focus.
.
you cant reach the rock if you die on the road.
.
and as the heat cranks up
the services dwindle
and a sense of utter despair permeates the soul…
.
the preliminaries are done.
the game has begun.
Categories: HOTS 2026