Territorial Men 9: Carter Altaraza

CHAPTER 2

CHAPTER TWO

AFTER that war against terrorist ended, Carter took a leave from Military to heal himself. Maraming sundalo ang nagbuwis ng sariling buhay at maraming inosenteng tao ang nailigtas.
Carter and Keith received an award for their excellent job. Silang dalawa ang matibay na nakarating sa dulo at napabagsak ang natirang lider ng mga terorista.

People may found peace after the war, but they didn't know what is really going on with those soldiers who made it to the end.
They are alive but the war inside their heads continues.

They are silently fighting with their own battle.
Hin'di ba kalabisang isipin na pagkatapos mong isugal ang sariling buhay para sa kapayaan ng bayan, sa huli, ikaw pa itong malas na makakaranas ng klase ng sakit na ikaw lang ang nakakakita?

Some of the soldiers are experiencing severe Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. A kind of mental illness that they usually get from war.

He hates to admit this but after all those struggles that came your way to fight for your country, at the end of the day, you are the one who will suffer.

They may be able to survive from war, but their mind didn't. And no matter how much he tries to convince himself that he's mentally stable, he knew that he is not. That invisible wound haunts him.

When he thought that he was coping well after that traumatic event, just after a few weeks - some symptoms of PTSD began to ruin him.
He started to isolate himself, he didn't wanna talk to anyone, he became erratic and he gets easily irritated.

It takes a lot of patience before someone can fully understand him. Hindi niya alam kung magiging masaya ba siya o hindi nang mag desisyon ang magulang niya na sa Villa Altaraza siya manatili habang tahimik na nakikipaglaban sa sariling giyerang nabuo sa kanyang isipan.

A knocked from the door alerted him. Kahit na ang simpleng katok lang sa pinto ay nagbibigay ng gikla sa kanya.

"It's me." That voice was from his brother, Clane.

His brother used to visit him daily because he don't really wanna go out and socialize. He's not the Carter that he used to know. He's not like this but that invisible wound made him like this. It takes him away from the real world.

Carter got up from bed and opened a door a bit. He saw his brother wearing his tuxedo, he knew that he's going to start his day at work, but still he gave him time to pay a visit.

"What?" he asked, showing no interest.

"You may want to go to D' Club tonight?"

Kahit ang pagbisita sa club na nakasanayan niya ay hindi niya magawa. Kahit ang mga kaibigan niya ay hindi niya rin kinakausap. Suddenly, being outside and being surrounded with unfamiliar men gives him anxiety.

"I have my appointment tomorrow with my doctor. So, no."

"How 'bout in the next day? Our friends-"

"Kuya I said no." He started to get annoyed.

Clane sighed then bods his head.

"May ipapakilala pa naman sana kami sa 'yo."

Carter snorted. Then out of the blue, he thought about the girl he met in Sydney. Sa dinami-rami ng babae, bakit ba iyon pang hindi niya nakita ang mukha ang siyang pilit na naninirahan sa kanyang isipan?

But he'd rather think about her and their memories that night than think about those events that put him in the dark.

"I don't wanna be with someone that I don't know."

"Understood. Anyway, Keith will visit today."

"Okay."

He was about to close the door but Clane hold the door knob. Napabuntong hininga siya.

"You're celibate for three months now, Carter..."

He gave his brother a sharp glare. This brute is simply annoying him.

Ni hindi niya na nga mabilang ang araw na nasa gano'n siyang sitwasyon. Halos umabot ng dalawang buwan ang inabot bago unti-unting tuluyang naghilom ang mga sugat na natamo niya. His injuries weren't that worse compare to other, but he still needed to fully heal himself.

"Okay, I'll go tonight."

"I'll arrange the chopper for you."

When he heard the word 'chopper' his mind automatically went back to those helicopters that bombed them above the hill. Those explosions, gunfire, smokes, and fire flashes his mind.

Walang pahintulot na bumalik lahat sa ala-ala niya ang mga nangyari noong mga panahong 'yon. Maging ang ilang ka-baro niya na pinatay mismo sa harap niya at mga namatay sa tabi niya.

Those bloody images of his troops made his situation at that moment worst.

He always wishes that he die with them. Maybe it's easier, right? To die with them? So he wouldn't feel this way.

When Carter felt a hand that held his arm, his body reacted violently with the thought that it was an enemy. He quickly grabbed that hand and was about to twist it, but he failed, instead, that hand strongly put his place together and pinned him to the wall.

"Carter! Carter!"

He kept hearing someone calling his name while he was fighting back. Panay ang palag niya, hindi pumapayag na hindi lumalaban. He twisted his body from facing the wall and tries to throw a punch.

"Please, stop! Please! Carter! Fuck! Stop!"

Carter finally managed to get away from that hold and started to fight with him in arm-to-arm combat. He was panicking and his mind told him to fight back so he can save his life.

"Damn! Carter!" He started to recognize that voice.

Carter groaned when his brother pinned him down, he's facing the floor while his both hands are in his back, held by his brother.

"Breath,"

Nang makilala niya na ng tuluyan ang boses ng kapatid, doon ay unti-unti siyang kumalma. Carter take a deep breath and slowly let it out. Ilang beses niyang ginawa 'yon bago siya binitawan ng Kuya Clane niya.

His brother walked towards his fridge and when he came back he gave him bottled water. Carter is sitting at the edge of his bed, calming himself down. He's such a mess.

"Well, that punch was solid." He heard his brother.

Nang mag angat siya ng tingin dito, sapo ang panga at nakita niya ang sugat sa gilid ng labi.

"Weak." He rolled his eyes and drink the cold water.


IN the middle of the boxing ring inside their private gym in Villa Altaraza, Carter readied himself for a game fight with Keith.

Wearing their boxing gloves, they started throwing a jab at each other. This is one of his ways to escape from being alone in the dark.

He couldn't be grateful enough for the support that his brothers and Keith gave him during this rough time of his life. It took him a good six months before telling himself that he's starting to get back to normal.

Hindi madali na makipaglaban sa sakit na hindi nakikita ng iba, ngunit dahil sa mga taong nariyan para intindihin at tulungan siya, kahit papano ay gumaan ang sitwasyon niya.

"We've been waiting for you. Hinahanap ka na ng mga babae mo sa club," Keith said and throw a punch on the side of his stomach but he managed to avoid it.

"I'll be back soon."

"How about going back to work?"

Pareho na silang pawisan ngunit hindi pa rin tumitigil. The more they get sweats, the more the wanted to throw a punch to one another.

Keith is lucky because it took only a month before he recovered from his injuries. But he's aware that like him, the brute is also experiencing a mild PTSD, he's just so good to manage himself.

Siguro ay dahil marami na itong karanasan sa giyera at marami ng pinagdaanan kaya madaling napanghahawakan ang sarili. Keith is years ahead, he's more skilled and very respectable.

"I will be back soon too. I was just waiting for my doctor's approval."

Kahit na matindi ang sinapit niya, nasa puso niya pa rin talaga ang pagsisilbi sa Bayan. Babalik at babalik siya sa pangarap niya.