[ WP ] You did n't have a chance to say goodbye .

Aryton blinked and rubbed his head. 
 
 It had been a very high speed crash. He expected the impact to hurt more, but the whole thing just felt quite... fuzzy. There did n't seem to be any track marshals around, which was odd, Aryton looked back towards the corner where he'd lost control. Nothing there, he pulled himself out of the car and scurried over the crash barrier to safety. 
 
 That's funny, he thought as he looked back at the crash, the car does n't seem damaged. That's impossible, surely! I must have been doing at least 100kph when I hit the wall. 
 
 For the first time he noticed the silence. Had they stopped the race? Normally you could hear those engines from several miles away. That would explain why there were n't any marshalls too. 
 
 `` Hello,'' said a voice. 
 
 Ayrton turned around. A man in a white robe stood there. 
 
 `` Who are you?'' 
 
 `` I am Peter, the apostle. I believe you've read about me?'' 
 
 `` What? Saint Peter? That's impossible! How are you here now? Do n't you guard the gates to heaven?'' 
 
 `` Yes'' said St. Peter. 
 
 Aryton let this sink in. `` Surely this is n't heaven.'' 
 
 St. Peter shrugged, `` Heaven is what you make of it.'' 
 
 `` But,'' said Aryton, `` Why should I, a wealthy man? A selfish man come here? I lived a life of easy riches, and earthly pleasures. I spent my Sundays charging round a racetrack in a car instead of worshipping! Surely my soul...? Is this some kind of sick joke? Are you trying to make me think I'm dead before my time?'' 
 
 St. Peter looked at Aryton with sad eyes. `` I'm sorry, Aryton. This really is Heaven. You were rich, but you used your money compassionately. The lives of thousands of young Brazilians immeasurably improved. You always had faith. Every time you raced, you prayed to Our Lord for your safety and for the safety of your friends and colleagues, even if you did n't openly say it. He heard, and you have been justly rewarded.'' 
 
 `` But... I did n't have a chance to say goodbye. I was n't ready. I always knew... but I never believed it would happen yet. Why? Why must it have happened now?! What will become of me? 
 
 `` I can help you there,'' said St. Peter, `` you will be remembered as one of the greatest drivers ever to climb into a car. Fangio, Lauda, Clark, Senna: the greatest drivers ever, and you - Ayrton - will be remembered as the greatest of them all. The great drivers of the future will revere you. And, thanks to this crash, no driver will ever have a fatal accident in a Formula One car again. This is your legacy.'' 
 
 Aryton looked back to his car, whole and in one piece. `` You say this is heaven?'' 
 
 `` Yes.'' 
 
 `` I think I can live with that.'' 
 
 And he climbed back into his car, the engine roared into life, and then he drove.
