Disclaimer- We do not own the BMFM nor do we make a profit from this or any of out future group stories whatsoever. Rave belongs to Me (Racergirl) and Dreamer belongs to Day Dreamer. Please ask for permission before using our characters, but if you wish to draw them, then go right ahead. Thank you.

Authors notes: There will be no cussing or sexual contents in this story whatsoever. I dunno about errors though. We do proof-read, but things seem to slip out of our vision sight.

Part One

Rated: PG

© Racergirl & Day Dreamer 2000, all rights reserved

"Hey Heidi, Pepper wants ya!" Charlotte called to her twin sister. Heidi comes running in with a grain pan in her hands. She is panting slightly. (She has been running)

"No he doesn't. He just wants the oats," she said, smiling. Pepper looks at her from the other side of the fence. He noses the pan and whinnies.

"Yeah right sis!.... you know he likes you" Heidi insisted to her twin.

Charlotte gives her a "as if" looked. Heidi sees this look and sticks her tongue out at her twin. Charlotte smiles and rolls her eyes. Heidi went back to giving Pepper the oats and Charlotte went to pet him. Miss Mika, Pepper's mother, hears the sound of eating and investigates. She comes and invades the pail.

"Hey Mika, wait your turn!" Heidi said in a shrilled tone. Miss Mika pulled her head back and snorts in annoyance.

"What's the matter sis? having some troubles with the Miss Mika?" Charlotte said while petting Pepper. Pepper wallowed in the strokes. His eyes partly closed, he dipped his head down in contempt. Charlotte smiled.

"Naw, she is just jealous. She wants some oats too" she pets Miss Mika and gives her some oats. Miss Mika is reluctant at first, but starts to nibble on the oats. Heidi smiles.

"Well, she seems to be better now that you are paying attention to her and giving her some too." Charlotte reaches over to Miss Mika's mane and strokes it gently. Heidi pets Miss Mika's forelock and Mika perks her head up, then goes right back to eating. All of a sudden from behind, their instructor calls to them

"Hey girls!" she shouts, "I need you to help me feed the horses. Can you give me a hand with the hay?" she calls to the twins. Heidi and Charlotte look in the direction and replies

"Alright, be right there" they drop whatever they were doing (well, all they were doing is petting the horses) and go to help their instructor.

Liza Taylor, while waiting for the girls to get there to help her, she got thinking. Her thoughts of everyday life were violently interrupted by a sudden heart stopping, quickening sad gut feeling the hit her hard. It literally took her breath away. She looked around in sudden panic. She feared this was a motherly feeling. She breathed a huge sigh of relief when she saw her three children teasing the Mustangs. She, but for a brief moment, forgot about the feeling...she called to her three boys

"JB, TJ, Alex.....quit teasing the horses." she called. The boys looked up and said, "Ok mom" so with that they headed to find something else to do. After the boys were out of sight, that awful feeling came on stronger this time. It hit her like a rushing flood. It was such a saddening feeling. It almost made her cry.

"Hey Liza, what's wrong?" Heidi asked, seeing the expression of some unknown look. It looked like a mix of fear, doubt, and sadness. It looked like it was overpowering.

"Ahhhhhhh!" she screamed. When she looked, she saw the twins standing there, looking at her with puzzled/concerned expressions on these identical faces. Liza placed a hand on her chest.

"Girls, don't ever do that to me again. You startled me!" she swallowed a chunk of saliva.

"Sorry Liza, didn't mean to" Charlotte said. Charlotte could tell just by looking at her ridding instructor that something was wrong...or maybe that something was about to happen. Charlotte at this point wandered if Heidi felt the same way. Charlotte turned her head to face her sister. She could tell she was thinking of something. Charlotte then looked back at Liza and noticed that she was trying hard to soften her expression. Charlotte somehow didn't like the feeling she was receiving. It was nerve-racking. Liza blinked rapidly and smiled

"Well, come on girls. What are we all waiting for? I have 5 horses to feed and I need help" Liza began to cut the strings that held the bails of hay together, so she could feed the horses. It took about 20 minutes to finish feeding the horses. After it was done the twins sat down and drank some water that their mom made them bring.

"Well, judging by the sun's position....It is about 5 O' Clock." Charlotte half-smirked at her twin.

"How can you know exactly what time it is without a watch Char??" Heidi asked. Heidi gave her the "as if" sideways expression that Charlotte hated so much. Charlotte sighed and drank some water. Heidi smiled evilly. 5 quiet minutes passes and the twins did not say a word.

"Well, Heidi, mom should be coming anytime now to pick us up" Charlotte looked at her watch and frowned.

"Yeah, I know...bummer...." Heidi frowned as well. She felt the same way as her sister. They loved the Ranch and did not want to leave. Suddenly, as if Thunder was churning. The twins could hear an awful thunder/falling sound.

"What is that!" Heidi cried.

"I don't know, but whatever it is.....it is loud" Charlotte had to just about yell those words because whatever was making that sound, it was loud enough to hurt the ears. The twins covered their ears. The sound was literally hurting their sensitive ears. As Charlotte looked, she saw the yard beginning to shadow over. She looked up and low and behold something in massive structure comes falling down towards them.

"Heidi!......Look up there!!" Charlotte shouts to her sister who now noticed it too. "What is that thing!!?" Heidi said, still holding her ears. Charlotte shook her head "I dunno!.....do you know?" As the thing got closer, it got louder and a wind started to pick up. It blew all around the twins. Liza, meanwhile, had the same feeling when she too saw the massive thing. Without further thought, she grabbed Miss Mika and Pepper (With saddled and bridles) and took then in the direction of the underground cellar. On the way, she found the girls looked up towards the thing.

"Girls!" she called. "Girls!!" the twins finally took noticed and walked/ran to their instructor.

"Here!, take the horses....one for each." she handed Miss Mika to Heidi and Pepper to Charlotte. Liza made a "follow me" motion and said

"Come on!" When they got to the cellar, it was only meant for 5, maybe 6 people at most. But with 2 horses and 2 teenage girls.....it was cramped. Liza opened the door and said in a loud voice (Because of the loud sound)

"Here, get in!" she pointed to the hollowed out space of a cellar.

"No!, what about you and your family?!" Heidi called out.

"Yeah, were not going in without you and your family!" Charlotte agreed.

"There is no time. I got a really bad feeling girls. I need to you stay here while I go find Jamie and my boys. Jamie took them to his mothers, I am going to head there and bring them back. Stay here!" she said. The twins could both tell something was wrong, but they didn't know what. Liza took a last look at the twins and closed the door behind them.

"Liza!"

"Liza!" the twins both called.

"What do we do now?" Heidi asked. As if looking for a sane answer.

"I dunno" Charlotte said. The horses were nervous and beginning to loose there calm. The twins quickly took to their aid and tried hard to calm them down. Then without warning, it was calm.......too calm....an errie type of calm.

"Is it over??" Charlotte asked. But before Heidi could reply otherwise, a gigantic sound came crashing down

"BOOM!!" the explosion shook the deep cellar like a rage doll. The girls and the horses were twisted and turned all over the room.

"Awwwwwwww, Pepper, get off!!" Charlotte called out in pain. Pepper had slammed into her. But without full force. (Thank God! otherwise Charlotte would have been history) Pepper got off. Another

"BOOM!" sound came. It was not as strong, but the force took both girls by surprise. All the girls could remember at that was the whinny cries of the horses, the cries of each other as they fell and something beginning smell like smoke

Charlotte was about to open the door when Heidi grabbed her arm.

"No! Not yet!! What if more of those explosions happen?!" Heidi whispered frantically.

"Well if we think one is coming we'll just dive back in now come on!" Charlotte answered back. She roughly shoved the door open and her and Heidi creeped out. The smell of smoke was getting worse as they slowly made their way out side Charlotte was the first to turn the corner the sight that was before her made her gasp. All the buildings were on fire and great clouds of billowing black smoke was pouring off them. Heidi turned around the corner next and was almost sick at the sight on the courtyard floor, several horses were laying dead their bodies all cut and bruised.

"Liza! Liza where are you come on speak to us!" Charlotte yelled she started to search for Liza or some body she soon found someone but not how she wanted. JB, TJ and Alex were all lying dead near the Mustangs they were teasing probably didn't even know what hit them. Heidi who had been searching around as well came over tears sparkling in here eyes.

"They're all dead Char, all of them!" She said the tears clear in here voice. Charlotte thought for a second then she had a sickening feeling.

"Oh no! Mama and Papa!! Come on Heidi get Pepper and Miss Mika we gotta see if Mama and Papa are ok!" Charlotte yelled. Heidi ran and pulled the horses from the cellar, Charlotte hauled herself on to Pepper and Heidi clambered on to Miss Mika. Pretty soon they were galloping to their hometown in Kansas. The way was treacherous as trees, cars and telephone poles littered the streets. Charlotte couldn't forget the sight of Liza's boys and her mind kept replacing them with images of her parents. Kansas City came in to site and Heidi's heart sank, thick black smoke was rising from the buildings and she could hear the crackle of flames. They left Pepper and Miss Mika tied up to a fallen telephone pole and headed down what was left of the streets. Even though the city was practically destroyed the twins still knew their way around they found their house, what used to be a three storey wooden house was now a crumbling, burning mass of charred belongings. Charlotte broke through the door calling for her mum and dad, Heidi was not far behind. The twins kept on tripping over stuff as the smoke was choking them and making it difficult to see. Heidi tripped over someone she grabbed them and started to drag them out, Charlotte found another person not far away and proceeded to drag them out too. The twins dragged the two figures out of the house just as Charlotte left the roof caved in sending up a cloud of dust and ash. Still coughing Heidi looked down at the figure she had pulled out, though black with soot and ash it was plain it was her father and he was not breathing.

"Papa!" She yelled feeling desperately for a pulse, she couldn't find one. Tears started to escape from her eyes she looked at Charlotte who was crying over their mother's body. Heidi grabbed hold of Charlotte and they both started sobbing for the loss of their parents, the loss of their friends.

"Hey you!" The twins looked up at the voice a large person with big hair was standing in front of them he was carrying a shovel. Charlotte's first thought was 'Yeah, someone else survived!'

"What are you two doing here? No one could have survived that blast!" The man yelled angrily. The smile that was starting creep across Charlotte face faded 'If no one could have survived then her must have been the one who dropped it!!!'

"Heidi! Run!!" Charlotte yelled getting up and scrabbling away from the man who had been about to grab them.

Charlotte looked back, holding her tears in. A sudden blast of anger flooded her soul, but she dare not show it. It pained her to leave her beloved parents bodies behind, but they had to. That awful man was after them. Charlotte felt a stab of coldness, but pushed it roughly aside. Now was not the time to get angry. Charlotte, along with her sister, had to focus, and fast. If they did not concentrate and focus...their lives would end in an instant. Heidi choked down tears as she and her sister rode. They rode for hours. And when they entered another city they knew well, they saw it in utter ruins. Charlotte clutched the reins even harder. By the next day the twins were tired, hungry and in pain. Their hearts ached for their parents warms hugs and kisses they always got when they got home from somewhere. They travelled it seemed like hours during the day and at night they seeked shelter in fallen houses that had be destroyed in the explosion. One night in particular about a week later, the twins found an old house that looked to have suffered some of the worst blasts, but what was left served as a shelter from the rain that began to poor a hour and a half ago. Charlotte looked at her watch 4:50pm in the afternoon. She frowned. They had been travelling for over a week and were famished, and exhausted. Even thought they seemed to get some sleep, they could get much because when either of then closed their eyes, they saw the bodies of their mom and dad and everyone else's bodies they saw along the way. But food they could barely, if at all find. Sure they found charcoled bread and some a few other things, but they were too rotten to eat. You call tell just by the awful stench. So, they were so hungry and it was starting to show. They were weak and starting to thin a bit. The horses, however, kept finding bits and pieces of grass, so they looked all right for now. Pepper nudged Charlotte on the shoulder. He looked at her and whinnied softly.

"What's the matter big boy, hungry??" Charlotte softly stroked his nose that she knew his loved. He snorted softly as if saying "yes" to her in reply. Miss Mika whinnied in reply. Pepper looked at her, then turned back to Charlotte who was smiling sadly at her horse. Heidi sat near the small fire they has lit to keep warm. She folded her arms closely to her chest to keep warm. Even though she has a sweatshirt on, she still was cold. Charlotte looked over at Heidi and asked

"Are you cold sis?" she already knew the answer, she was just bored and wanted to ask. In a slight shaky voice, she relied

"Yes, I am freezing. This fall weather is getting colder I swear." Charlotte took off her lit sweat shirt and tosses it to her sister

"Here, take mine. I am not that cold" Heidi caught it and said

"No, no sis, please take it. It's cold out here. And we can't afford to catch a cold remember? We are orphans....." Heidi caught herself short then began to cry in hard sobs. Charlotte crawled over to her sister and wrapped her arms around her. Heidi, despite it all, snuggled up to her twin. Charlotte did the same. The fire was warm and they both stared in to the flames dancing about in front of them. Heidi suddenly felt embarrassed.

"I'm sorry" Heidi wiped her eyes. Charlotte smiled warmly/tiredly

"It's ok sis. No worries" Charlotte too felt like bawling, but something kept her from doing so. She didn't know what it was. She figured it was just her will to survive the made her grow strong. Heidi looked up at her sister, who seemed, to be deep into thought.

"You ok?" she asked, worried. Charlotte shakes her thoughts and looks down at her sister

"Yea, could be better" she smiled wearily.

"Well, I'm not. I miss mom and dad" Heidi fought back tears that she could feel literally well up into her dry throat. Charlotte kept her soft hold on her sister. Heidi looked into the fire and said nothing for a long while. Neither did Charlotte. Charlotte, again looked at her watched. It was now almost 9pm. Charlotte's eyes went wide. 'man!, how time flies' she shook her watch and listened to it tick just to make sure it worked. it did. A few moments later, Heidi blew out of her mouth indicating a sighing gesture. She asked

"What time is it anyway? Or don't you know?" she asked.

"Yea, it is a little after 9" she confirmed. Heidi turned her head to face her sister with a shocked looked on her face

"What?! Already!!?....." she paused, then continued "Man......It is much later then I thought!. Do you think we should try to get some sleep??" she asked. Charlotte thinks for a minute then agrees

"Yeah, I think if we want to get an early start we better get plenty of sleep" she said, yawning. She was tired. Maybe getting some sleep would make her catch her strength. The twins snuggled up again each other next to the fire and somehow managed to get to sleep.

Heidi yawned and stretched out there was dull ache in her chest at first she thought she had gone to sleep while reading a book in bed as she had many times before, but looking up and seeing the destruction she had become accustom to reminded her that the ache was for the loss of her parents. She saw Charlotte still curled up in sleep and smiled 'just like Charlotte always the strong one', Heidi got up and started searching for breakfast, she kicked the bricks that littered the floor with her almost worn out riding boots, suddenly she uncovered a trap door, further inspection revealed it was the trap door to a cellar, she grabbed hold of the ring and started pulling after much groaning and grunting it sprung open sending Heidi into Charlotte.

"Hey watch it! Bungee jumping usually works better with a bungee cord!" Charlotte complained. Heidi ignored her and headed down in to the cellar.

"JACKPOT!!!!!" Heidi yelled. Charlotte rushed down, she gasped at the shelves absolutely jam-packed with food, probably saved up in case of emergency. The twins filled up the saddlebags with as much food as they could hold and had a hearty breakfast. Charlotte looked at the jar of marmalade and remembered how her mother used to make home-made preservatives, she felt a lump form in her throat she swallowed it away. 'Pull yourself together you have to be strong…. For Heidi's sake as much as your own' she thought. Heidi fed the last of her sandwich to Pepper and brushed the crumbs off of her trousers.

"Well we had better get going, I think we are near Missouri" Heidi said.

"Heidi, just exactly are we going?" Charlotte asked. Heidi shrugged and clambered on to Miss Mika who had been happily munching on some grass.

"Well, I thought the first town we hit in Missouri would be our next stop" Heidi said while she and her sister made their way down the dirt road. "What town would that be??" Charlotte asked. "I don't know Char.

I have never been to Missouri. Have you?" Charlotte shook her head.

Her once beautiful french braid was coming apart. Lose strands of hair began to losen. Heidi's hair was once a french braid too, but she took it out and put it into a ponytail. "No, i sure haven't. But mom said when she was our age she went there with her daddy" Charlotte felt a stab in her heart. Heidi did too, but nither one said a word about it.

When they got into the first town the next day, It was alive with people.

"At least these people have not died" Heidi comented. "Yeah, thank God.

It's about time." Charlotte looked around. Even on the outskirts, it appeared to them the city was full of life and prosperity. The twins rode into the town and as they did, they kept looking about. Children were playing in the yards and streets, mom and dad's were working in the yards or on thier houses. "What day is this sis??" Charlotte asked her twin. "I donno....I think it's Saturday." Charlotte blinked. 'Has it really been that long. They were at the Ranch on Thursday when the tradity happened, now it was not that Saturday, but the next Satursay.

Time flies these days' Charlotte thought as she rode.

Soon, the girls came to what looked like Main Street. Life was abundent there. The twins had to eventually get off their horses because of traffic and the pavement. No good for the horses hoves. As they approached a electronical store, a bunch of people were surrounding the outside, tring to listen to the news. The twins, seeing the gathering, made there way to there. As they approached, they could hear the news ankerman say his special report on the news.

Newsman talking:

"Analisis comfired that 8 states were mysteriously bombed just a little over a week ago. The following states are shown on the bottom on the screen below:

Kansas

Arkansas

California

Oreagon

Tennessee

Arizona

Navada

Police from surrounding states have comfirmed massive

exsploshion and millions worth in damages have been reported. Exsperts have been speculating the possible suspects, but no one as have yet has been accused. As we looked at the body count, we see hundreds of thousands lost to the blast."

We have a reporter live on the seen of a once popular city in California.

We now go live with Jerry at Fresno"

Jerry:

"Thank you Ted. I am live at the sence of one of the hundreds of cities

that are now in ruins. I have here in my hands the total amount of bodies found. Some were so burtal that i was informed not to mention the damage. Police from the surrounding states avalible are on the sence right now as we speek. They are busy scowering the city for any life left, but so far only 3 have survived." Jerry said into his mic.

Crackling of timbers and small fires could be see from behind him. He appeared to be standing right in the middle of it.

"One i was told was in crital condition and the other two were hurt, but they will live." Jerry contuied. "The three survivers from whats left of the once infested city of Fresno will Transported by helecopter with the rest of the survivered from numorous cities in California. Volenteeres are working around the clock to find and treat people from ever city and state that was bombed. We will know more tomorrow" Jerry finished with caugh and then he said "Back to you in the Studio"

The anchoman again:

"Thank you Jerry for you report"

"Your welcome" Jerry replied and then the screen you could see him at was cut off.

Ted again:

"The survivers, after being treated will be transported again to

Chicago,Illinois soon after they are able to be transported. Chicago,

greatfully offered their servises in the survivers. They have built a

big tent shelter and are currently working on a building for the homeless. There at the shelter the people who have survived will be taken care of by volenterees and dedicated nurses and doctors who have went out of their way to help the people who will transported there."

He flipped through his papers and continued "The address is:

12486 West. Corner Rd. Lot 12.

The number to contact them is on the bottom of the screen:

134-009-543-1900

If you have any information please contact the Missousi police.

They will not take names, but they will ask for a code name."

The other ancherman:

"Now for other news......."

Everyone that watching either stayed to watch the rest of the news or headed in different directions. The twins stood still for a moment and then started to walk away. When they were far enough, Carlotte stopped and looked streaght at her sister "Sis, what are we going to do. We really are orphans now. Remember we thought we could find our other family members. Well, now we know we are the only ones left." Charlotte was in shock. 'How could this be?' all the states that were mentioned were the same states her family lived in. Heidi appeared to be in shock as well. "Yeah, i know. What are we gonna do Char?? I'm so scared..."

she started to cry softly. Charlotte knew right away. She held her sister and said "We are heading twards that shelter in Chicago. All be have to do is buy a map and head in the direction. It's not far. If i remember correctly It is only 2 states up from Missouri. We can make it.

We made it this far.....we can make it there." she assured her sister.

Heidi stopped crying and smiled. "Yeah, we can!" she percked up.

Charlotte smiled. But Heidi stopped suddenly and said "But, where are we going to get the money to by a map??" she asked. Charlotte kept her smile. "Do you remember when mom took me to the side and said something to me while you waited in the car??" Heidi said "Yeah, why??"

"Well, what you don't know is mom gave me 20 dollers just in case and dad gave me 5 dollers." Charlotte grinned. Heidi mouth dropped open.

"They gave you money and not me!.......how rude" Heidi said, folding her arms losely across her chest. "I'm sorry, but it was ment for us, not just me" Charlotte said. "Oh, ok....that better" Heidi grinning arnyly.

Charlotte shook her had from side to side indicated "I still can't figure oyu out" thing. Heidi got to thinking and said what she was thinking "Char, what town are we in??" Charlotte shrugges "I have no idea" she says. She then noticed an old newpaper on the ground, so Charlotte picks it up and looks at the title cover "Belton Times"

she read out loud. "So, we are in a city called Belton, huh?" Heidi

asked. "Yup, looks like it to me" she comfirmes. Charlotte tosses the newspaper aside and ajusts the reins in her hands. "Where to now??"

Heidi askes "To a nearby story for a US map" Charlotte said. And with that they went to look for a shop that sells maps.

A couple of blocks they found a convinence story that sold maps. While Heidi held the reins, Char went into the store. The guy at the counter who looked about 40, looked up from what he was watching. He walked up to the counter a few seconds after Charlotte did.

"May I help you Miss??" he asked.

"Yes, hummmm, do you sell maps here by any chance?" Char asked.

The teller shook his head "yes" and pointed to the rows in the back.

"Last row in the back of the store. You can't miss them. They right against the wall" he said, looking to where he was pointing. Charlotte thanked the man and went to look for maps. She found a full USA map and a map of Illinois and went back to the front to pay for it. The teller first looked at the top map (the USA one) then he stopped when he saw that one for Illinois. He looked up and asked "Going to Chicago?"

his exspession showed a sudden interest in Charlotte's choice in maps.

Charlotte suddenly felt auqward. "huh, yeah...." she coulden't finish her sentence. She all of a sudden got vary quiet. She looked at him to see if he would ask her to go on....he diden't though. He must be able to read her good. He smiled at her and said "Or is it for school??"

He looked at her with a sideways looked, but the smile never left his face. Charlotte blinked and said "Yeah.....that's it.......for school"

she agreed. She diden't say nothing more about that. It just was not worth the time. The teller shook his head in a fashion that said "kids"

(Notice that it happens alot in life). He put the maps into a bag and Charlotte paided for them. 10$ worth of maps. 'sheesh, when did map prices become so outragous' she said to herself as she walked outside to meet Heidi.

Heidi was standing by the horses, talking to this couple that looked about 30. Heidi looked shocked. Char walked beside her sister and watched. The couple diden't take long to notice her, the woman said "Hello, you must be this young ladies sister?" she asked. Heidi looked at Charlotte. Charlotte agreeded "Yup, that be me". From that point on they only chatted a few minutes, then Charlotte said they had to go, so the stranger party parted.

About 1 mile up, Char got curious (or really has been curious),so she asked "Heidi, why were those people talking to you?" Charlotte asked, while keeping Pepper steady. Heidi shrugged her shoulders "I donno really. I was minding my own business when they stopped right beside me and asked me if I was alright. I told them yes. But they said the reason they asked was because my clothing looked bad. They said no offence. I said none taken. I wasen't offened. I knew what they were pointing to. We have not changed our cloths and had a bath in over a week...." Heidi stopped her sentence there and looked at her sister.

"Ooooh, I see. Ooook. Did you tell them what happened with us??"