[ WP ] The afterlife is not heaven or hell . It 's unlike anything any sect , creed , superstition or theology has imagined .

The squeal of tires against the pavement. The roaring of an eight cylinder engine. It might only take less then ten seconds to finish this race, but it was a lifetime for Dylan. A lifetime of requiem, a lifetime away from all the pain he's been through the past three years. 
 
 His brother died while on a tour of duty in Iraq. A sniper took him away. Dylan and his brother loved working on cars. To them, it was an art form. All the intricate pieces that create an absolute dominator was something they took pride in. 
 
 Not only his brother, but his mother and father left him. They both passed from terminal cancer. It seemed like his life was cursed in some way. 
 
 They only way he can escape this is to race. Each race feels like it eats away at the canker that has infested his life. 
 
 He found himself smiling at the elation of the wind flowing past him, the engine at its peak. He closed his eyes to take in the second. 
 
 As if on cue, the wheel jerked, and Dylan snapped his eyes open. He found himself almost upside down almost going full speed. His seat belt becomes unhinged. Dylan tried to grab the belt and click it back in, but it was in vain. 
 
 Gravity took control and thrust the car downward. As the car started tumbling and flipping down the street, Dylan was flung, his body spinning out of control towards a building wall. 
 
 The wall was getting closer and closer. Dylan closed his eyes to prepare him for the moment of impact... `` Mom...'' he thought. 
 
 After what felt like an eternity, he landed softly on the ground. Softly... 
 
 Dylan's breath was coming out in short bursts. What happened? Was n't he flying towards a wall? Was n't his car wrecked. Wait... Was n't he just about to die? What was he doing on the floor. 
 
 He slowly opened his eyes and stared, his mouth ajar. He was surrounded in white nothingness. His clothes were changed, from the green t-shirt and jeans to now a white t-shirt and white pants. 
 
 Dylan checked his body, no scratches, bruises. Nothing. He stood up felt a warm sensation on his face. It was calming, as if to let him know that everything was alright. 
 
 `` Welcome, Dylan.'' said a soft, yet powerful voice behind him. Dylan jumped and spun around to face the voice. Standing behind him was a tall man in his fifties. He too wore white clothing. He was smiling as started walking toward Dylan, his arms outstretched. 
 
 `` Who are you?'' asked Dylan, stepping back a little bit. 
 
 `` Me? I am you guide, Nathan.'' said Nathan. 
 
 `` Guide? To what? 
 
 `` To your current situation.'' said Nathan, smiling once more. 
 
 `` Am I d-d-dead?'' stammered Dylan? 
 
 `` Oh yes. There's no denying that, Dylan. That was pretty nasty with what you went through.'' explained Nathan. 
 
 Dylan took the news a little better than he expected. As if he was always prepared to face death one way or another. 
 
 `` Is this heaven? Is that where I am? Heaven?'' asked Dylan, a hopeful tone in his voice. 
 
 `` Now understand this, Dylan. There is no heaven,'' started Nathan, the smile sliding off of Dylan, `` There is no heaven, no hell, purgatory, none of that.'' 
 
 `` What? What the hell are you talking about? Huh?'' demanded Dylan. 
 
 `` The afterlife is what you make of it. What you want, within given parameters. If you want to be in a rainforest,'' The whiteness turns into the most beautiful rainforest. Bright greens, yellows and reds. The sounds of animals hidden in the trees, `` Or the Moon,'' the rainforest turns into the surface of the moon. Dust picks up with each step as Nathan walks towards Dylan. The Earth rising above him, blue and beautiful. 
 
 `` This is n't heaven?'' asked Dylan, the sorrow in his voice is heavy. 
 
 `` Did n't you hear what I just said?'' asked Nathan. 
 
 `` It's what we make it to be.'' repeated Dylan. 
 
 `` Exactly!'' said Nathan, `` What do you want?'' 
 
 `` What do I want?'' asked Dylan. 
 
 `` Yes, what is it that you desire, Dylan?'' asked Nathan. 
 
 Dylan stood there, rooted on the spot. He wondered about many things. Too many things. Too many to ask for. He did n't want to seem selfish. Dylan looked down at his hands. He clenched them a few times before muttering, 
 
 `` I want to be whole again.'' 
 
 `` To be whole?'' Nathan asked. 
 
 `` Yes.'' 
 
 Nathan raised his head and looked up. 
 
 `` So shall it be.'' he said. 
 
 `` Dylan! Yo! Dylan! What are you doing, man. Get over here! Ma has something to you!'' rang out a voice behind him. 
 
 Dylan turned around and faced his brother. His brother was standing at the entrance of the patio. Smoke from the grill is billowing upward and Dylan's dad can be heard cursing. He burnt the hamburgers again. 
 
 Dylan ran over to his brother and hugged him. 
 
 `` What are you doin', little man,'' asked Dylan's brother, `` Did n't you just see me?'' 
 
 `` Oh come on, Nathan, just accept it for what it is. Enjoy it now because things can change at the drop of a hat. Come here, Dylan.'' said Dylan's mother. 
 
 Dylan walked over to his mother and saw that she was holding a little Golden Retriever puppy. 
 
 Dylan looked up, tears welling up in his eyes, and nodded his head. 
 
 He indeed felt whole once more. 

