October 17, 1998
“Shhh. Be quiet a second,” Jerry Vanderhoef said sharply, “I swear I heard something!” He slowly climbed to his feet, staring intently out over the water. Tall, and broad-shouldered, Sleepyside High’s star tight end towered over his friends, blocking their view.
Sitting with his back against the old wooden picnic table of their campsite, Mike Larson glanced only briefly in his friend’s direction. “Ooooh, better hope it’s not the cops,” he jeered, “or somebody could be in trouble.” He held up the dark bottle in his hand, tilting it in a mock salute.
Around the blazing campfire, the clusters of couples broke out laughing.
Jerry turned to glare at him. “Dude. It wasn’t the cops. It was a radio or something. I could hear music.”
“And?” Caroline Martin stretched her legs out before her and rolled her eyes. “It’s not a crime to be here. It’s a public park and campground. Probably it’s just some family or someone else having a party.”
“Yeah, well, as Mike pointed out, we’re aren’t exactly on the right side of the law tonight,” Jerry said acerbically. “Even if it isn’t Molinson and his band of losers, it could be someone else who would report us.”
“Please. Who would even bother? Or care?” Caroline asked. “If you’re that worried about it, you’re free to leave any time.”
“Who? I’ll tell you who. Trixie Belden and her freakin’ killjoy friends. They’d narc us out in a heartbeat.”
Caroline glanced over at Diana Lynch, the newest member of the cheer squad. She had at some point perched herself on a fallen log and was leaning heavily on Scott Whitaker for support. “You think Trixie is running around here looking to bust us?”
“Naw, sh – she’s at home. Got a paper to write or somethin’.”
Di’s words were noticeably slurred, and Caroline grinned in response. “So, there you go. Now that we have a spy on our side, we’re safe from that Nancy Drew wannabe. We’ll always have a way of knowing exactly where she is.”
Although she was finding it difficult to focus and concentrate, Di felt a pang at Caroline’s words. Was that who she was now? A spy? On her own friends? She looked away, disturbed by the thought. An owl hooted mournfully overhead, and Di let her gaze drift upward. Through the crisscrossing tree branches, she could just make out the dark night sky, sprinkled with stars. They seemed to be spinning faster than she thought they should. She felt dizzy and not just a little nauseous. It occurred to her she was in very real danger of being sick.
“There is it again!” Jerry exclaimed. “Don’t tell me none of you can hear it!”
They fell silent as they listened. From a distance, they could make out the sounds of a song, the music faint and tinny, as if played through cheap speakers or on a small, transistor radio.
“Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids. In fact, it’s cold as Hell.”
“What the –“ Mike said, shocked. “It’s Rocket Man! You gotta be kidding me!”
Becky Waite straightened up, looking around, though she couldn’t see anything beyond the circle of light provided by the crackling flames of their fire. “It’s… probably just an Elton John fan,” she said nervously.
“Of course, it’s just an Elton John fan,” Caroline said dismissively. “C’mon. You guys can’t possibly be genuinely scared.”
“We’re at Carter Lake. In October. It’s dark. And we’re hearing Rocket Man. Yeah, you know what? I’m wigged.” Mike climbed to his feet. “This is like, how every horror movie ever starts. Let’s get outta here.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
October 23
With a quick wave in response to the greeting called out by Tom Delanoy as he crossed the wide gravel drive, sixteen-year-old Trixie Belden turned away from the friendly chauffeur and wandered into the Manor House stable, stopping outside a stall. “Hello, lovely,” she cooed to the beautiful black mare inside. “It’s too late to go riding tonight, but tomorrow afternoon, I promise I’ll be back.”
“I’ll hold you to that, you know,” said a deep voice from behind her.
Trixie turned to smile at William Regan through his open office door. The Wheeler’s groom was sitting at his desk, regarding her with a small smile. “I know,” she told him. “That was more for your benefit than Susie’s, as smart of a horse as she is.”
He tilted back in his seat, his expression shifting to one of mild concern. “You okay, Trix?”
“I’m fine. Tired.”
“Hmmm. Pretty sure it’s more than that.”
“Since when did you get to be so perceptive?”
“I consider it part of my job. Have to keep the unpaid help happy or the unpaid help fails to show up and help. Unpaid." He frowned at his suddenly clumsy phrasing before continuing. "What’s wrong?”
She didn’t answer right away, turning back to her favorite horse. “It’s silly, probably,” she finally said, her voice so quiet he had to strain to hear her.
“You can tell me. You know I won’t judge.”
“Ha! You will so judge. You’re just smart enough that you keep said judging to yourself. It’s Jim.”
Of course, it was. Again, he thought, recognizing that, as she had predicted, he was judging and refraining from saying it aloud.
“He called this afternoon and said he won’t be able to make it home this weekend for the party. He’s got a major paper to finish. Going as Mulder and Scully is cool. Going as solo Scully is weird. I do understand. I’m just disappointed. I know he’s busy and this semester has been a tough one, but I miss seeing him. He hasn’t been home in ages.”
“I’m sorry.”
She flashed him a crooked smile. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault, after all.”
“But I’m still sorry you’re disappointed.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that. But I’ll find a way to get over it. And tonight? Honey and I are gonna hang out and watch a double feature of Halloween movies, so that’ll be fun.”
Regan was unable to mask his surprise. “Honey is going to watch Halloween?” he asked skeptically.
“Uh, no. I shoulda said, Halloweenish movies. Nice safe ones. Casper and Beetlejuice.”
“Yeah, that makes way more sense.”
“Aren’t you off work by now?” she asked him, nodding toward the clock over his desk.
“I am, as a matter of fact. Just finished wrapping some things up. But listen, before I forget, tomorrow when you’re out riding, take Honey with you, be careful, and let me know if you see any signs of uninvited guests.”
“Huh? We have trespassers around again or something?”
“I’m not sure. I heard something earlier today when I was exercising Jupe. It mighta been nothing. Just someone playing music.” He shrugged both shoulders and shook his head. “I didn’t actually find the source or see anyone,” he admitted. “I guess it could have been someone driving along Glen Road with their radio blaring.”
“Or maybe you were just imagining it,” Trixie replied teasingly. “And it really was nothing.”
“Yeah. No. If I was going to have some kind of weird auditory hallucination, I’d like to think it would be of something other than Rocket Man of all things.”
She stilled, eyes narrowing. “Setting aside the fact that you’re suddenly channeling Mart in your word choice, are you having me on, Regan? Seriously?”
He shoved away from his desk and stood, reaching out to click off his small lamp. “If you’re asking me if I’m kidding, the answer is no,” he told her with a small chuckle as he stepped from his office and closed the door behind him. “’Hey, Trixie, I thought we had a trespasser in the preserve playing Elton John on his radio today,’ would be an odd story to make up.”
“Not just Elton John,” she pointed out. “Rocket Man.”
“Yeah. Rocket Man. So?”
“You really don’t know the significance of that song? How can you have lived here in Sleepyside for several years now and not know?”
With a wave of his hand, Regan escorted Trixie out of the stable and into the gloomy twilight. “How ‘bout we pretend you don’t know that I’m not a terribly social person so I don’t have to give you a ‘did you really just ask me that’ look?”
Trixie found herself laughing, surprised at how much her mood had lightened since her call with Jim. “Ok,” she conceded. “Yes, I suppose it’s not that odd that you don’t know. But just so you do know, you should avoid any large bodies of water for the time being. Heck, to be safe, I’d stay away from your bathtub, too. Stick with showers.”
“Strangely, had anyone else said that to me, I would’ve been all confused by the apparent sudden change of subject, but with you? That seems like a perfectly normal thing to say.”
“Ha, again. Well, that’s how the local urban legend goes. If you start hearing that song for no reason, it means the Rocket Man is coming for you, and you’re going to be dragged to a watery death.”
“Ah. Of course. If Sleepyside was going to have its very own urban legend, it would be that Elton John was out to get us.”
“Oh, golly. Now, that would actually be kinda awesome. That’s not it, though.” She glanced over at the Manor House before continuing. “So, there’s this song kids sing. Or really, chant. You know? That sorta sing-song thing?”
“And are you going to sorta sing-song me this chant?” he asked, brows raised.
She grimaced at the suggestion, but gamely agreed.
“The sun will set.
The moon will rise.
The Rocket Man comes,
And someone dies.
He can't be stopped.
He can't be beat.
Halloween night,
All trick, no treat.
You close your eyes.
You say a prayer.
There's no escape
From this nightmare.
When darkness falls,
No more to do.
The Rocket Man comes,
And he wants YOU!”
She ended with a sudden shout, causing him to start. “Right,” he muttered. “Creepy. I’ll give you that.”
“The legend is creepy, because, like I said, as the story goes, if you hear the song in some unusual way, Halloween night supposedly the Rocket Man will rise from Carter Lake and come for you. But honestly, the actual story is just sad. It involves the deaths of two boys and a young girl.”
“So, there’s a background to this?”
“Yep. Back in the 70’s, there was a boy named Henry Tillerman. He was… special. He was seventeen but he had the mind of a little kid. He loved anything and everything to do with NASA and outer space. He wanted to be an astronaut and he used to go around everywhere in this costume his mom made him. Moms can remember seeing him lots of times at Wimpy’s. She says the only time she remembers him ever taking off his helmet is when he was eating. But you know how mean kids can be. They taunted him a lot and called him ‘Rocket Man.’ According to Moms, he didn’t really understand that they were making fun of him. Rocket Man was his favorite song and he would sing it - badly so Moms says - any time anyone called him that.”
Regan huffed out a breath and nodded. “Yeah. Kids can suck.”
“So, one Halloween night, Henry tagged along with his older brother to a party out at Carter Lake. Craig – no, I think his name was… Chuck? Anyway, big bro was supposed to watch out for him, but he was drinking with his friends, and somebody let Henry have a bottle of something. To make a long story short, he got drunk and then, when nobody was paying attention, went out onto the lake in a boat that somehow capsized and he drowned. He wasn’t a great swimmer to begin with and the alcohol combined with the spacesuit costume was too much for him.
“That would have been the end of it, except Halloween night a few years later, some idiot teens went out to the same spot and somehow one of them ended up in the lake and he drowned, too. His friends swore they saw something in the water; that it was the shape of a man, but all white, and it pulled him in. Then, a few years after that, in the early 80’s, a little girl who ran away from home over some fight with her mom about not buying her a certain Halloween costume was missing for a few days, and was finally found, also drowned.”
“And thus, the birth of the Rocket Man legend.”
“Moms says she always figured the teens were drunk or high and imagined whatever they saw, and that the girl was just another unfortunate accident, but in any case, over the years, the story grew and changed and became what it is today. It got to where every kid in Sleepyside knew the legend. It was banned at the elementary school.” Suddenly, Trixie flashed a crooked smile. “I got sent to the principal’s office once, ‘cause I was singing the song while skipping rope at recess.”
“Oh, you would.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t see what the big deal was then, but supposedly it was ‘too scary’ for anyone in the under ten crowd, according to Mr. Cane. Really, though, it took me a few years, but it did finally dawn on me that it was probably more traumatic for him and some of the teachers, you know? I mean, to us it was just some spooky story, but to the adults, those were real kids they knew and taught once upon a time. I’m betting they really didn’t and don’t like the reminder.”
Regan shot her a keen look. “Well, then, Miss Fidget. Speaking of someone’s sudden perceptiveness…”
“Don’t worry. It’s not likely to become a regular habit with me. Can’t risk that much upset to the balance of the universe,” Trixie informed him with a light chuckle. “You know, if I’m not mistaken, this is the twentieth anniversary of Henry’s death this year. Maybe you were actually right about someone driving around playing the song. Maybe it’s someone being too clever for their own good, trying to scare people before Halloween.”
“That’s a definite possibility.”
The last rays of the setting sun lit the sky in a deep red and orange as shadows stretched across the sloping Manor House lawn. Trixie shivered as a chill breeze struck her, lifting her curls and tossing up a few dry leaves on the drive. “Honey was expecting me about ten minutes ago, so I better move it,” she told him. “Have a good evening, Regan.”
“You, too, Trix.”
Grinning mischievously, she strolled off, calling back, “And I think it’s gonna be a long, long time…”
~~~~~~~~~~
October 24
“Hey, Trixie,” Honey said cheerfully as her best friend entered the stable. “Did you get all your chores done already?”
“I had help. Bobby asked Moms if he could earn some money ‘cause there’re some comic books he wants, so she assigned him the weeding and took that off my plate.”
“Well, it’s just you and me riding today. I called Di to invite her, but she said she wasn’t feeling well.”
“Well that sucks. Is she even going to make it to the party tonight?”
“I don’t know. She did sound pretty awful, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t.”
“Geeze. No Jim. No Di. This party is getting smaller and smaller the closer it gets. I hope she feels better soon.”
“We’ll still have plenty of people for the party,” Honey assured her. “Remember Brian will be here, and Ruthie, Lorna, Chizuko, and Victor have RSVP’ed.”
“So, we should get going on our ride, then. We’ll still want time for last minute decorating.”
“There’s not that much left. Miss Trask and Celia have been at it all morning putting on the finishing touches to the work we did last night. About all we have left is carving the pumpkins and a few other quick tasks.”
Trixie nodded and glanced around. “Where’s Regan?”
“In town. He volunteered to pick up the sodas and chips for tonight.”
“That was nice of him. Did he tell you about his phantom trespasser?”
“Rocket Man? Yeah. He mentioned it this morning. I’m inclined to think it was just someone clowning around and driving by.”
“Well, we can still keep our eyes peeled.”
The sky was a hazy gray with low hanging clouds that promised rain later in the day. Trixie breathed in deeply as they rode out onto the first trail, enjoying the earthy smells tinged with the faint hint of woodsmoke from Karl’s controlled burn in the clearing on the northern end of the preserve. The temperatures had dropped over night and she was reminded again that winter was just around the corner. Soon they’d be planning Thanksgiving dinner, shopping for Christmas presents, and expecting the first snowfall.
She was content to let Honey choose the paths they followed. Though she took extra care to be aware of their surroundings, she saw nothing to indicate anyone had passed their way any time in the recent past. Finally dismissing Regan’s concerns, she relaxed fully and focused on enjoying their ride.
~~~~~~~~~~
Regan’s lips twisted into a humorless smile. “Yeah,” he muttered as he ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. “I did. When I was unloading the bags.”
Dan’s expression told him all he needed to know. “So… You heard Rocket Man. Just… playing…” His nephew’s tone was heavy with doubt.
“Yep.”
Dan traded a glance with Honey. “Okay.” He shrugged both shoulders. “I gotta go see Mart. He’s got the cape for my costume. You need anything else before I go?”
“No, thanks,” Honey replied, looking around the room in satisfaction. They’d really outdone themselves in her opinion. Gone was the Wheelers’ understated, elegant drawing room and in its place, a spooky, haunted Victorian ballroom. “Trixie and I can carry the pumpkins out to the verandah. I don’t want to light them until just before the party starts. Thanks for all your help.”
“Any time,” he said, flashing her his most charming grin before leaving through one of the open French doors.
“Done!” Trixie suddenly declared, clambering out from under the long table loaded with appetizers, snacks, and drinks. “Now, all you have to do to really creep someone out is press this button.” She tapped a power strip with one foot. Immediately, an eerie moan reached them, at first as if from some distance, but quickly building to a wailing cry. This was followed by various creaks and rattles and a burst of glass shattering. She cut the sounds off by lightly stepping on the strip again. “The speakers are mounted under both ends of the table, so no one will know they’re there or expect to hear anything.”
“Geeze. I know they’re there and it still scared me,” Honey admitted with a noticeable shudder.
Trixie dusted off her hands and turned to Regan. “I gave serious consideration to changing the CD to one of Rocket Man,” she told him. “Just for you.”
“Uh, huh. You’re all heart, Trix.”
“Oh!” Honey exclaimed. “I mean, I’m sure you - That is, you heard something.”
Regan decided not to answer that. He already felt a bit like a little kid trying to convince his parents his imaginary friend was real. He didn’t want to go any further down that road. Instead he jerked his head toward the row of jack o’ lanterns on the table. “I can help you with moving those.”
With the three of them working together, they soon had the pumpkins lined up along the front verandah.
“Okay, Bruce,” Trixie said, patting the last one as she set it down. “You be good and we’ll be back to set you on fire in a bit.”
“Bruce?” Regan echoed. “You named it?”
“Well, yeah. D’uh.” She lifted the top and adjusted the position of the candle inside. “Obviously. There’s Barbara, Benny, Blake. I’ll let you figure out which one is Bill.”
He felt his jaw momentarily drop as he took a closer look at each of the carved gourds. “I don’t think I want to know.” Raising one brow, he regarded her expectantly. “So, which one is Beatrix?”
Honey burst out laughing. “He got you there, Trix!”
“You wound me, Bill,” Trixie said with mock seriousness. “You do. I would never be so cruel as to saddle anyone or anything with ‘Beatrix’ as a name. As much as I love my parents, that will always – always – be a strike against them.”
“To be honest, I actually think it’s a nice name,” he told her. “I’m not kidding.”
She peered up at him, her lips pursed thoughtfully. “This concerns me far more than the idea that you are hearing music that isn’t there,” she said after a long moment. “I think there might be something genuinely wrong with you, Regan. Just sayin’.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
Regan glanced at his watch as he mounted the stairs to his garage apartment. He had just enough time to warm up some leftovers and settle in for the game. Although he had become accustomed to and genuinely welcomed Dan as his roommate, it would be nice to have the place to himself for the night.
“She packed my bags last night, pre-flight…”
He paused mid-step and turned his head quickly, listening intently. No, he wasn’t imagining it. Rocket Man. He was half-tempted to run back to the main house and drag someone out to hear it. Dan thought he was nuts. Trixie wasn’t sure what to think. Honey had been clearly trying, in her kind way, to support his claims without actually stating she believed him.
He huffed out a low breath and continued his climb. It was dark. He was tired. He was not going to run around the preserve this late in a futile attempt to chase down the music’s source. He would speak with Karl in the morning about increasing patrols. Between them and with Dan’s help, they stood a reasonable chance of catching their prankster.
Because that was all this could be, he told himself firmly. Just some joker, probably a local teen, thinking it would be fun to give people a scare leading up to Halloween. He wouldn’t have put it past Mart, if he didn’t know for a fact the second eldest Belden sibling was currently with his friends playing the murder mystery game Trixie had devised. In any case, he was done with worrying about it for now.
~~~~~~~~~~
October 26
Trixie stopped as she came upon a large branch laying across her path. She took a moment to drag it off the trail itself, out of the way of any unsuspecting walker or rider. “Bobby!” she called as she approached his treehouse. “C’mon! Moms wants you home early today. She says you have math homework to finish.”
Her youngest brother poked his head out the window and frowned at her. “I’m not done here.”
“Done with what? Look, whatever it is, it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. You don’t want to get grounded again, do you?”
He rolled his eyes and disappeared back inside his small hideaway.
“Bobby!”
“Just a second!” He was back a moment later, a backpack slung over his shoulder. “Geeze, Trix. Sometimes you’re worse than Moms. Worse than Brian, even.”
“Don’t let him hear you say that, kiddo. Brian only has our best interests at heart.”
He stopped halfway down the wooden ladder to stare at her incredulously.
She felt a smile pushing up the corners of her mouth. “O… kay. Maybe he can be a bit, er, overprotective sometimes.”
Bobby remained silent, his blue eyes narrowing even more.
Trixie couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer. Grinning broadly, Bobby dropped the remaining foot to the ground and stepped up next to her, ready to head home.
“So, what were you so secretly working on in there?” Trixie asked as they started down the well-worn path.
“It’s not a big secret,” he said, somewhat defensively. “Just my costume.”
“And that would be?”
He smiled smugly. “Who’s the scariest person you know?”
“That’s an easy one. My math teacher.”
His grin widened. “Okay, second scariest.”
“I dunno. Are we talking in real life, or just in general? Someone who’s a real person or a fictional character?”
He stopped and sent her a withering look. “The Rocket Man? C’mon. Everybody’s talking about him lately. The sun will set. The moon will rise. The Rocket Man comes, and someone dies. I’m making a space suit!”
“Hmm. Clever, I’ll give you that, but Moms might not be exactly on board with it.”
“Moms is fine,” he told her dismissively. “She’s been helping me. She even bought me the helmet. She found a motorcycle helmet at some garage sale and we painted it white.”
“Really? Okay, now I am surprised.”
“Well, it was easy to convince her. First, I begged and begged to be Freddy Krueger. And so when I ‘gave in’ and said I would be the Rocket Man instead, she agreed.”
“Bobby! That’s… that’s really devious. I don’t know whether to admire your ingenuity or rat you out.”
“You won’t rat me out,” he said confidently. “’Cause you aren’t Brian. And ‘cause you know there’s too much stuff I could rat you out on.”
“Oh, ouch. And touché.” Chuckling softly, Trixie reached out and tapped his shoulder. “You have a bright future as a politician, young man.”
They had just reached the fork that branched off in one direction down to the hollow where Crabapple Farm waited for them and in the other up to the palatial mansion belonging to the Wheeler family when they heard it. It was faint, but quite distinct.
“And all this science, I don't understand. It's just my job five days a week. A rocket man. Rocket man.”
“Oh, no way…” Trixie breathed.
“Cool!” Bobby shouted at the same time. “It’s the Rocket Man, Trix! Like everybody’s been saying! The Rocket Man really is back!”
~~~~~~~~~~
October 31
“What do you mean – missing?” Trixie demanded as she slowly set down the spoon she’d used to stir the tomato sauce.
Mart stepped fully into the kitchen. “Missing, as in ‘not in his room getting ready to go trick or treating in town like he’s supposed to be,’ missing” he replied shortly. “As in ‘nowhere in the house’ missing. We have to find him, Trix.”
Trixie spun the knob to turn off the stove and left the pot where it was. “Oh, for crying out loud, Bobby,” she muttered. “Seriously?”
She was just pouring the sauce into a plastic container as the phone rang. Mart grabbed it quickly. “Hello – Oh, Di. Listen we – what?” He turned and waved a hand at Trixie. “When did you realize he was gone? No… Bobby, too. Ten dollars says they’re together somewhere. Terry didn’t give you any clues at all?”
“We should call Dan,” Trixie said. “See if he knows anything. Or maybe Regan. Sometimes the boys tell them stuff they conveniently neglect to tell us.”
Three phone calls and fifteen minutes later, Trixie and Mart were no closer to determining where their youngest brother and his friend were.
“We’ll have to go look for them.” Mart shook his head. “What the heck are they up to? Bobby’s been going on all week about his awesome Halloween surprise. I thought he was just talking about his costume.”
“Probably, he was. He put together a Rocket Man costume that he’s really proud of. Hang on. Let me make one more call.” She reached for the phone again. A few minutes later she hung up and turned back to her brother. “Ok. Regan said he’d check Bobby’s treehouse for us. He can get there from his place faster than we can. Dan is going to search the area around Karl’s cabin. They can’t have gotten too far, can they? I mean, it’s only been a little bit more than an hour since I told Bobby to go get ready to leave.”
Mart nodded in a manner he hoped was encouraging. Privately, he suspected Bobby was capable of getting a fair distance in a relatively short time, but he didn’t see the point in worrying his sister any more than she already was. “Let’s go down to the lake and see if they went that way. Di and her father are covering their property.”
Trixie noted the dropping temperature as soon as she stepped out the kitchen door. She zipped up her coat and set off at a quick trot. Dang it, Bobby. Not how I wanted to spend Halloween evening!
~~~~~~~~~~
Mart, Trixie, and Di watched as Dan and Regan approached from behind the stable. The boys were not with them.
“Oh, no,” Di murmured. “They didn’t find them, either.”
Trixie covered her face with both hands, breathing deeply. I am not going to panic. I’m not, she thought firmly before speaking to the others. She dropped her arms and sighed. “Okay. I think we’ve pretty much covered it here. They aren’t somewhere in the game preserve unless they’re out there deliberately running around avoiding us all.”
“Sorry, Trix,” Dan said quietly as he came to stand next to her. “Karl is still looking, just in case, but I think you’re right.”
“Miss Trask is going to go into Sleepyside,” Honey announced as she joined them on the drive. “She’ll look for them there and also see if she can find Mr. and Mrs. Belden at the theater. Regan, can you drive her and help her look? Tom and Celia won't be back until late tonight.”
"Of course." He nodded briefly and walked briskly toward the Manor House garage. Only moments later, he was backing Mr. Wheeler's Town Car carefully out. Trixie and the others moved closer to the stable, out of his way, waving to the groom and estate manager as they passed.
Mart turned to study his sister closely. “Trix, out of all of us, you probably know Bobby best. Instead of this barely organized search party chaos, maybe we need to really stop and think. Where would he go? Where would Bobby and Larry be on Halloween night? I mean, especially when it means, whatever they’re up to, they’re forgoing the free candy from trick or treating?”
She frowned, thinking hard. Where are you, little brother?
“And I think it’s going to be a long, long time…”
Everyone froze for a moment. As they listened, the song volume increased.
Trixie glanced at the road, her expression revealing her agitation. “You can knock it off, Rocket Man,” she muttered in annoyance. “We have way bigger things to worry about right now! Ugh!”
The music faded away quickly and she looked back at her friends. “Did you hear that? That was a car. I definitely heard a car.”
“I think I did hear tires on gravel,” Dan replied. “But at this point, maybe that’s just wishful thinking.”
“Yeah, well. I think our theory on that score is right. Somebody’s been driving around playing that song, just to scare people. Whatever. It’s Halloween. That should stop tonight. We’ll probably find out at school next week who it was. Meanwhile-“ she broke off, eyes widening. “Oh. Oh! Oh, my - Robert Andrew Belden! I’m going to kill you myself!”
“Trix?” Honey asked uncertainly.
“We need to get out to Carter Lake. You know where Bobby and Larry are? They’re out there trying to see if they can spot the Rocket Man!”
~~~~~~~~~~
Barely waiting for Dan to stop the car, Trixie popped open her door and was off running.
“Trixie! Wait!” Mart called as he clambered from the vehicle. In moments, his sister disappeared from view, swallowed up by the darkness of the forest. “Perfect. You know, it would help if my sister had at least some sense of caution. Being completely fearless is not always a good thing.”
Before the others could speak, they became aware of the music, distant but readily identifiable. The Rocket Man lyrics somehow seemed especially sinister now, as if beckoning them toward the lake like a siren’s deadly song. Di clutched at Honey’s arm. “Trixie may be fearless when it comes to the ghost,” she said shakily. “But I’m not!”
“C’mon,” Dan said grimly. “We need to catch up with her.”
“Do you want to wait in the car?” Honey asked Di. “No one would blame you.”
Diana hesitated only for a few seconds before answering. “No. That’s my brother out there, too. I’m coming.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Even with Dan’s flashlight, it was not easy navigating the dirt path that lead to Carter Lake’s main boat dock. Honey stumbled twice, wondering how Trixie had managed to get so far ahead without a light herself. Though the moon was full and bright in the night sky, it was mostly blocked out by the tree cover, only providing minimal help when they occasionally passed under an open spot in the foliage.
The night had gotten even colder than she expected. She was shivering despite the physical effort of keeping up with the others. In truth, though, she wasn’t entirely sure she could blame the chill air for that, any more than she could say for certain that her racing heart was thanks to their brisk pace. She was scared. She was scared for Bobby and Larry and what they might foolishly do just to see a “ghost,” but it was more than that. She was scared of the Rocket Man. It didn’t matter that her rational side rejected the very notion of it, she simply couldn’t help herself.
She hadn’t grown up in Sleepyside. The Rocket Man was not a part of her childhood. But there she was, rushing down a twisting trail through a dark forest, her mind throwing up the words to that old urban legend though she tried to think of anything else. Like a television theme song that could get stuck in her head for days, over and over it repeated.
The sun will set.
The moon will rise.
The Rocket Man comes,
And someone dies.
He can't be stopped.
He can't be beat.
Halloween night,
All trick, no treat.
Some night animal darted out from the undergrowth in front of them and Honey was unable to prevent a shriek. Her cry startled the others enough that they, too, let out yells. As if in answer to their shouts, they heard the song yet again. This time, it seemed to come at them from multiple directions.
Di grabbed Honey’s hand and they locked fingers. “Th- this is crazy,” she said shakily.
Drawing in a sharp breath, Dan waved his flashlight around. “I don’t see anyone else here. We should keep moving.” He led them on until they came to a fork in the path. He muttered something under his breath that Honey was reasonably sure was not suitable for all company. “Right or left?” he asked. “I don’t remember. And why isn’t there a sign, da – dang it?”
“It’s left,” Di told them. “We just have to go a little further that way and we’ll end up right above the boat ramp and dock.”
Mart shot her a surprised look. “Are you sure? Uh, direction isn’t, you know…”
“My strong suit? Yeah, Mart, I know. But in this case, I am sure.” She tossed her head, sending her long, dark locks flying, and set off without waiting to see if the others were following her.
“Well, I guess that’s one way to get her over her fear,” Dan said quietly. “Piss her off. Good job, dude.”
They came out of the woods abruptly, pausing momentarily at the top of a gentle, grassy slope that ended at the narrow strip of beach on the lake’s shore. Below, Trixie had already reached the end of the long dock. The evenly spaced lights that ran along the wooden structure lit up the area and they could see Bobby and Larry struggling with a rowboat that was tied to a beam.
Trixie’s shout reached them as they raced down the hill. “Are you crazy?” she yelled as she skidded to a stop. “Get out of there right now before you capsize and fall in!”
~~~~~~~~~~
Trixie practically hauled her younger brother out of the boat by the back of his coat. “Geeze Louise! What are you thinking? You don’t even have a life vest on! You, either, Larry! You two are smarter than this!”
Bobby and Larry climbed awkwardly back onto the dock, avoiding her angry gaze. They hurried toward the shore where they could see Dan, Mart, Di and Honey charging in their direction as fast as they could manage on the loose sand.
Trixie bent down to make sure the boat was still securely fastened. As she straightened, she caught a flash of something in the water. Something large and light colored. At the same moment, she heard the now far too familiar refrain.
“And I think it’s going to be a long, long time, ‘til touchdown brings me round again to find…”
She blinked. “What the-“ she whispered, watching as the glowing shape grew. Without any warning, the dark, icy water surged up before her like a living thing. Trixie spun around, intending to run as fast as her feet would carry her, but her legs were swept out from under her and she tumbled backward into the lake. Sharp, bitter cold stung her face and hands as she struggled to surface. She flailed about for a moment, panic robbing her mind of rational thought. She felt a hard tug on her arm and without thinking, opened her eyes. The lights from the dock above illuminated the dark lake with a dim, eerie glow that had a distinct greenish tint.
Rocket Man!
If she could have screamed, she would have. Instead, she used both hands to shove at the glowing figure in front of her. This was not happening. This could not be happening.
Moving slowly, like an astronaut floating untethered in space, the ghostly form waved one arm and pointed down. Something metal glinted in the dark pondweed that grew along the lake bottom. Not quite knowing why, Trixie stopped fighting, allowing herself to be pulled even further downward. She reached out for the unknown object. Her fingers were numb from the frigid water and she found it hard to close her hand around it, but somehow she was able to grasp it and pull it free from where it was lodged.
There was a strange moment as she felt a sense of release. The water that had pressed down on her with an inexplicable force now seemed to be propelling her upward. She’d won the battle and the lake was surrendering. Letting her go. Air. She needed air. Black spots swam before her eyes and she knew she only had seconds left. The last thing she saw before breaking the surface and gasping desperately for breath was the Rocket Man, for one moment blindingly clear, smiling at her through his homemade helmet before melting away like smoke on a soft breeze.
It was Mart who reached her first. She hadn’t even realized he’d jumped in after her until she felt his arms wrapping around her, holding her as high above the water’s surface as he could. She heard someone else shouting her name. Dan, she thought, but everything had gone hazy. She was so terribly cold. Her mind was blank. Hands lifted her up and she was back on the dock. As someone wrapped a coat around her, Trixie’s world faded to black.
~~~~~~~~~~
November 2
“I don’t remember,” Trixie said quietly, shifting her weight to get more comfortable on the couch. “I remember standing on the dock and yelling at Bobby and Larry to get back out of the boat. Then water. Cold. So, cold. And that’s it. Next thing I know, I’m at Sleepyside General and my Dad is thanking me for keeping Bobby from doing something really stupid that night.”
“And the rocket ship?” Honey asked carefully. She leaned forward and placed the small box of cookies she’d brought her friend down on the scarred but highly polished end table, an antique she had no doubt had been a part of Crabapple Farm for at least three generations.
“Not a clue. How I ended up with that in my hand? I can’t begin to explain it.”
“You know what they’re saying, don’t you? That it belonged to the Rocket Man. To Henry. It was his favorite toy. Congratulations, Trix. You’re now officially part of the Rocket Man legend. You’re the girl who helped the ghost with his final wishes, rescuing his rocket ship from Carter Lake. They’re even saying you broke some kind of curse and the Rocket Man won’t try to claim any more victims.”
Trixie sat up straighter, the old quilt falling into in her lap. “They? Who’s they? Who’s saying any of that?”
“Pretty much everyone who knows you went into the lake Halloween night. Which means just about everyone in Sleepyside at this point.”
“This is bonkers. What do they even think? That I – I freed a ghost by pulling an old toy from the lake?”
“That’s one theory. That maybe the others died trying, but you succeeded and now it’s all over.”
“You cannot possibly be buying into this?” Trixie studied Honey intently. “I mean, I know I’ve seen some strange stuff before, but not even you believed me back in Minnesota when I said I thought a ghost saved me.”
“No, I don’t really believe it. I think you fell in and for some reason latched on to the only thing you could see underwater.”
“It’s so weird, having no memory of any of this. I can’t even figure out how I ended up in the lake. Did I trip or something?”
Honey shook her head, not replying immediately.
“What?” Trixie finally asked, wondering if Honey would even answer.
“I – well, none of us really can explain it. You ran out onto the dock, screaming at Bobby and Larry to get out of the boat. And man, Trix, I had no idea you could run that fast. You were way ahead of the rest of us. The boys knew they were busted and they got back to shore pretty quick, but you were just standing there, looking down into the water and then – then…”
“Then? Yeah? What? What happened?”
“Please understand, even though there were lights, it was still pretty dark out and, I think we were all freaked out at that point. Even without really believing in the Rocket Man.”
Trixie frowned. “I – I could hear it. The song.”
“Are you sure? I mean, we heard it when we got out of the car, and then when we were in the woods, but by that point, not anymore.”
“No, Honey, I could hear it, and I swear, it was coming from the lake. Then, I dunno, I was just in the water. It goes blank after that.”
“It was weird. From what I could see, it was like you got suddenly pulled in, like something grabbed you from behind just as you turned to go, but that doesn’t make any sense.” She twisted her fingers together, unable to disguise her disquiet. “You know something else weird? Absolutely no one has ‘fessed up to being responsible for the song. Lots of people all around town say they heard it for days leading up to Halloween, but nobody is claiming to be behind it. It’s odd.”
They stared at one another for a long moment, each uncertain and unsettled.
“Do you remember anything at the hospital?” Honey asked suddenly, more to fill the uncomfortable silence than anything. “You refused to let the rocket ship go. The ER doctor practically had to pry it from your hand. You caused a pretty big fuss.”
“I did? I don’t have any memory of that, either. Ugh. I really do hate having these gaps in what I remember. You know, maybe it’s all a coincidence. Maybe it was never the Rocket Man’s anyway, but just some toy a bored kid threw in the lake at some point.”
“Well, it’s certainly a style that it could’ve been from about when Henry Tillerman died,” Honey replied slowly, “though Brian says he thinks it’s too well-preserved for something that would have been underwater for a coupla decades.” She hesitated briefly, then continued. “If – if it did belong to him, maybe you should consider giving it back to his parents?”
“I don’t know,” Trixie responded quietly. “I mean, not that I have any objection to letting them have it. Just, if it isn’t Henry’s, maybe that would be too cruel? Opening old wounds unnecessarily? I wish there was some way to be sure.”
“I have an idea on that. It may be grasping at straws, but I’m wondering if we can find a photo in the Sleepyside Sun archives with him and it. From what I understand, he went everywhere in his space suit carrying his rocket. I know it’s a really long shot, but we could try.”
~~~~~~~~~~
November 7
“That’s it!” Trixie exclaimed. “Look. It even has the same weird symbol on the side.”
“Shhhh…”
Trixie felt her cheeks redden as she sent the librarian an apologetic look.
“I agree,” Honey said in a whisper. “It’s the same. Now we know for sure.”
~~~~~~~~~~
November 10
Trixie stood nervously on the porch of the small bungalow, wondering if anyone would answer the bell. Just as she was about to turn away, the door creaked open and an older man peered out at her uncertainly. “If you’re selling something, I’m afraid I don’t need any cookies or make up or funny scented candles,” he said with a slight smile.
“Hello,” she said, taking a deep breath. “My name is Trixie Belden, and I… I have something for you.”
“Shhh. Be quiet a second,” Jerry Vanderhoef said sharply, “I swear I heard something!” He slowly climbed to his feet, staring intently out over the water. Tall, and broad-shouldered, Sleepyside High’s star tight end towered over his friends, blocking their view.
Sitting with his back against the old wooden picnic table of their campsite, Mike Larson glanced only briefly in his friend’s direction. “Ooooh, better hope it’s not the cops,” he jeered, “or somebody could be in trouble.” He held up the dark bottle in his hand, tilting it in a mock salute.
Around the blazing campfire, the clusters of couples broke out laughing.
Jerry turned to glare at him. “Dude. It wasn’t the cops. It was a radio or something. I could hear music.”
“And?” Caroline Martin stretched her legs out before her and rolled her eyes. “It’s not a crime to be here. It’s a public park and campground. Probably it’s just some family or someone else having a party.”
“Yeah, well, as Mike pointed out, we’re aren’t exactly on the right side of the law tonight,” Jerry said acerbically. “Even if it isn’t Molinson and his band of losers, it could be someone else who would report us.”
“Please. Who would even bother? Or care?” Caroline asked. “If you’re that worried about it, you’re free to leave any time.”
“Who? I’ll tell you who. Trixie Belden and her freakin’ killjoy friends. They’d narc us out in a heartbeat.”
Caroline glanced over at Diana Lynch, the newest member of the cheer squad. She had at some point perched herself on a fallen log and was leaning heavily on Scott Whitaker for support. “You think Trixie is running around here looking to bust us?”
“Naw, sh – she’s at home. Got a paper to write or somethin’.”
Di’s words were noticeably slurred, and Caroline grinned in response. “So, there you go. Now that we have a spy on our side, we’re safe from that Nancy Drew wannabe. We’ll always have a way of knowing exactly where she is.”
Although she was finding it difficult to focus and concentrate, Di felt a pang at Caroline’s words. Was that who she was now? A spy? On her own friends? She looked away, disturbed by the thought. An owl hooted mournfully overhead, and Di let her gaze drift upward. Through the crisscrossing tree branches, she could just make out the dark night sky, sprinkled with stars. They seemed to be spinning faster than she thought they should. She felt dizzy and not just a little nauseous. It occurred to her she was in very real danger of being sick.
“There is it again!” Jerry exclaimed. “Don’t tell me none of you can hear it!”
They fell silent as they listened. From a distance, they could make out the sounds of a song, the music faint and tinny, as if played through cheap speakers or on a small, transistor radio.
“Mars ain’t the kind of place to raise your kids. In fact, it’s cold as Hell.”
“What the –“ Mike said, shocked. “It’s Rocket Man! You gotta be kidding me!”
Becky Waite straightened up, looking around, though she couldn’t see anything beyond the circle of light provided by the crackling flames of their fire. “It’s… probably just an Elton John fan,” she said nervously.
“Of course, it’s just an Elton John fan,” Caroline said dismissively. “C’mon. You guys can’t possibly be genuinely scared.”
“We’re at Carter Lake. In October. It’s dark. And we’re hearing Rocket Man. Yeah, you know what? I’m wigged.” Mike climbed to his feet. “This is like, how every horror movie ever starts. Let’s get outta here.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
October 23
With a quick wave in response to the greeting called out by Tom Delanoy as he crossed the wide gravel drive, sixteen-year-old Trixie Belden turned away from the friendly chauffeur and wandered into the Manor House stable, stopping outside a stall. “Hello, lovely,” she cooed to the beautiful black mare inside. “It’s too late to go riding tonight, but tomorrow afternoon, I promise I’ll be back.”
“I’ll hold you to that, you know,” said a deep voice from behind her.
Trixie turned to smile at William Regan through his open office door. The Wheeler’s groom was sitting at his desk, regarding her with a small smile. “I know,” she told him. “That was more for your benefit than Susie’s, as smart of a horse as she is.”
He tilted back in his seat, his expression shifting to one of mild concern. “You okay, Trix?”
“I’m fine. Tired.”
“Hmmm. Pretty sure it’s more than that.”
“Since when did you get to be so perceptive?”
“I consider it part of my job. Have to keep the unpaid help happy or the unpaid help fails to show up and help. Unpaid." He frowned at his suddenly clumsy phrasing before continuing. "What’s wrong?”
She didn’t answer right away, turning back to her favorite horse. “It’s silly, probably,” she finally said, her voice so quiet he had to strain to hear her.
“You can tell me. You know I won’t judge.”
“Ha! You will so judge. You’re just smart enough that you keep said judging to yourself. It’s Jim.”
Of course, it was. Again, he thought, recognizing that, as she had predicted, he was judging and refraining from saying it aloud.
“He called this afternoon and said he won’t be able to make it home this weekend for the party. He’s got a major paper to finish. Going as Mulder and Scully is cool. Going as solo Scully is weird. I do understand. I’m just disappointed. I know he’s busy and this semester has been a tough one, but I miss seeing him. He hasn’t been home in ages.”
“I’m sorry.”
She flashed him a crooked smile. “Don’t be. It’s not your fault, after all.”
“But I’m still sorry you’re disappointed.”
“Thanks. I appreciate that. But I’ll find a way to get over it. And tonight? Honey and I are gonna hang out and watch a double feature of Halloween movies, so that’ll be fun.”
Regan was unable to mask his surprise. “Honey is going to watch Halloween?” he asked skeptically.
“Uh, no. I shoulda said, Halloweenish movies. Nice safe ones. Casper and Beetlejuice.”
“Yeah, that makes way more sense.”
“Aren’t you off work by now?” she asked him, nodding toward the clock over his desk.
“I am, as a matter of fact. Just finished wrapping some things up. But listen, before I forget, tomorrow when you’re out riding, take Honey with you, be careful, and let me know if you see any signs of uninvited guests.”
“Huh? We have trespassers around again or something?”
“I’m not sure. I heard something earlier today when I was exercising Jupe. It mighta been nothing. Just someone playing music.” He shrugged both shoulders and shook his head. “I didn’t actually find the source or see anyone,” he admitted. “I guess it could have been someone driving along Glen Road with their radio blaring.”
“Or maybe you were just imagining it,” Trixie replied teasingly. “And it really was nothing.”
“Yeah. No. If I was going to have some kind of weird auditory hallucination, I’d like to think it would be of something other than Rocket Man of all things.”
She stilled, eyes narrowing. “Setting aside the fact that you’re suddenly channeling Mart in your word choice, are you having me on, Regan? Seriously?”
He shoved away from his desk and stood, reaching out to click off his small lamp. “If you’re asking me if I’m kidding, the answer is no,” he told her with a small chuckle as he stepped from his office and closed the door behind him. “’Hey, Trixie, I thought we had a trespasser in the preserve playing Elton John on his radio today,’ would be an odd story to make up.”
“Not just Elton John,” she pointed out. “Rocket Man.”
“Yeah. Rocket Man. So?”
“You really don’t know the significance of that song? How can you have lived here in Sleepyside for several years now and not know?”
With a wave of his hand, Regan escorted Trixie out of the stable and into the gloomy twilight. “How ‘bout we pretend you don’t know that I’m not a terribly social person so I don’t have to give you a ‘did you really just ask me that’ look?”
Trixie found herself laughing, surprised at how much her mood had lightened since her call with Jim. “Ok,” she conceded. “Yes, I suppose it’s not that odd that you don’t know. But just so you do know, you should avoid any large bodies of water for the time being. Heck, to be safe, I’d stay away from your bathtub, too. Stick with showers.”
“Strangely, had anyone else said that to me, I would’ve been all confused by the apparent sudden change of subject, but with you? That seems like a perfectly normal thing to say.”
“Ha, again. Well, that’s how the local urban legend goes. If you start hearing that song for no reason, it means the Rocket Man is coming for you, and you’re going to be dragged to a watery death.”
“Ah. Of course. If Sleepyside was going to have its very own urban legend, it would be that Elton John was out to get us.”
“Oh, golly. Now, that would actually be kinda awesome. That’s not it, though.” She glanced over at the Manor House before continuing. “So, there’s this song kids sing. Or really, chant. You know? That sorta sing-song thing?”
“And are you going to sorta sing-song me this chant?” he asked, brows raised.
She grimaced at the suggestion, but gamely agreed.
“The sun will set.
The moon will rise.
The Rocket Man comes,
And someone dies.
He can't be stopped.
He can't be beat.
Halloween night,
All trick, no treat.
You close your eyes.
You say a prayer.
There's no escape
From this nightmare.
When darkness falls,
No more to do.
The Rocket Man comes,
And he wants YOU!”
She ended with a sudden shout, causing him to start. “Right,” he muttered. “Creepy. I’ll give you that.”
“The legend is creepy, because, like I said, as the story goes, if you hear the song in some unusual way, Halloween night supposedly the Rocket Man will rise from Carter Lake and come for you. But honestly, the actual story is just sad. It involves the deaths of two boys and a young girl.”
“So, there’s a background to this?”
“Yep. Back in the 70’s, there was a boy named Henry Tillerman. He was… special. He was seventeen but he had the mind of a little kid. He loved anything and everything to do with NASA and outer space. He wanted to be an astronaut and he used to go around everywhere in this costume his mom made him. Moms can remember seeing him lots of times at Wimpy’s. She says the only time she remembers him ever taking off his helmet is when he was eating. But you know how mean kids can be. They taunted him a lot and called him ‘Rocket Man.’ According to Moms, he didn’t really understand that they were making fun of him. Rocket Man was his favorite song and he would sing it - badly so Moms says - any time anyone called him that.”
Regan huffed out a breath and nodded. “Yeah. Kids can suck.”
“So, one Halloween night, Henry tagged along with his older brother to a party out at Carter Lake. Craig – no, I think his name was… Chuck? Anyway, big bro was supposed to watch out for him, but he was drinking with his friends, and somebody let Henry have a bottle of something. To make a long story short, he got drunk and then, when nobody was paying attention, went out onto the lake in a boat that somehow capsized and he drowned. He wasn’t a great swimmer to begin with and the alcohol combined with the spacesuit costume was too much for him.
“That would have been the end of it, except Halloween night a few years later, some idiot teens went out to the same spot and somehow one of them ended up in the lake and he drowned, too. His friends swore they saw something in the water; that it was the shape of a man, but all white, and it pulled him in. Then, a few years after that, in the early 80’s, a little girl who ran away from home over some fight with her mom about not buying her a certain Halloween costume was missing for a few days, and was finally found, also drowned.”
“And thus, the birth of the Rocket Man legend.”
“Moms says she always figured the teens were drunk or high and imagined whatever they saw, and that the girl was just another unfortunate accident, but in any case, over the years, the story grew and changed and became what it is today. It got to where every kid in Sleepyside knew the legend. It was banned at the elementary school.” Suddenly, Trixie flashed a crooked smile. “I got sent to the principal’s office once, ‘cause I was singing the song while skipping rope at recess.”
“Oh, you would.”
“Yeah, well, I didn’t see what the big deal was then, but supposedly it was ‘too scary’ for anyone in the under ten crowd, according to Mr. Cane. Really, though, it took me a few years, but it did finally dawn on me that it was probably more traumatic for him and some of the teachers, you know? I mean, to us it was just some spooky story, but to the adults, those were real kids they knew and taught once upon a time. I’m betting they really didn’t and don’t like the reminder.”
Regan shot her a keen look. “Well, then, Miss Fidget. Speaking of someone’s sudden perceptiveness…”
“Don’t worry. It’s not likely to become a regular habit with me. Can’t risk that much upset to the balance of the universe,” Trixie informed him with a light chuckle. “You know, if I’m not mistaken, this is the twentieth anniversary of Henry’s death this year. Maybe you were actually right about someone driving around playing the song. Maybe it’s someone being too clever for their own good, trying to scare people before Halloween.”
“That’s a definite possibility.”
The last rays of the setting sun lit the sky in a deep red and orange as shadows stretched across the sloping Manor House lawn. Trixie shivered as a chill breeze struck her, lifting her curls and tossing up a few dry leaves on the drive. “Honey was expecting me about ten minutes ago, so I better move it,” she told him. “Have a good evening, Regan.”
“You, too, Trix.”
Grinning mischievously, she strolled off, calling back, “And I think it’s gonna be a long, long time…”
~~~~~~~~~~
October 24
“Hey, Trixie,” Honey said cheerfully as her best friend entered the stable. “Did you get all your chores done already?”
“I had help. Bobby asked Moms if he could earn some money ‘cause there’re some comic books he wants, so she assigned him the weeding and took that off my plate.”
“Well, it’s just you and me riding today. I called Di to invite her, but she said she wasn’t feeling well.”
“Well that sucks. Is she even going to make it to the party tonight?”
“I don’t know. She did sound pretty awful, so it wouldn’t surprise me if she didn’t.”
“Geeze. No Jim. No Di. This party is getting smaller and smaller the closer it gets. I hope she feels better soon.”
“We’ll still have plenty of people for the party,” Honey assured her. “Remember Brian will be here, and Ruthie, Lorna, Chizuko, and Victor have RSVP’ed.”
“So, we should get going on our ride, then. We’ll still want time for last minute decorating.”
“There’s not that much left. Miss Trask and Celia have been at it all morning putting on the finishing touches to the work we did last night. About all we have left is carving the pumpkins and a few other quick tasks.”
Trixie nodded and glanced around. “Where’s Regan?”
“In town. He volunteered to pick up the sodas and chips for tonight.”
“That was nice of him. Did he tell you about his phantom trespasser?”
“Rocket Man? Yeah. He mentioned it this morning. I’m inclined to think it was just someone clowning around and driving by.”
“Well, we can still keep our eyes peeled.”
The sky was a hazy gray with low hanging clouds that promised rain later in the day. Trixie breathed in deeply as they rode out onto the first trail, enjoying the earthy smells tinged with the faint hint of woodsmoke from Karl’s controlled burn in the clearing on the northern end of the preserve. The temperatures had dropped over night and she was reminded again that winter was just around the corner. Soon they’d be planning Thanksgiving dinner, shopping for Christmas presents, and expecting the first snowfall.
She was content to let Honey choose the paths they followed. Though she took extra care to be aware of their surroundings, she saw nothing to indicate anyone had passed their way any time in the recent past. Finally dismissing Regan’s concerns, she relaxed fully and focused on enjoying their ride.
~~~~~~~~~~
Regan’s lips twisted into a humorless smile. “Yeah,” he muttered as he ran a hand through his hair, his frustration evident. “I did. When I was unloading the bags.”
Dan’s expression told him all he needed to know. “So… You heard Rocket Man. Just… playing…” His nephew’s tone was heavy with doubt.
“Yep.”
Dan traded a glance with Honey. “Okay.” He shrugged both shoulders. “I gotta go see Mart. He’s got the cape for my costume. You need anything else before I go?”
“No, thanks,” Honey replied, looking around the room in satisfaction. They’d really outdone themselves in her opinion. Gone was the Wheelers’ understated, elegant drawing room and in its place, a spooky, haunted Victorian ballroom. “Trixie and I can carry the pumpkins out to the verandah. I don’t want to light them until just before the party starts. Thanks for all your help.”
“Any time,” he said, flashing her his most charming grin before leaving through one of the open French doors.
“Done!” Trixie suddenly declared, clambering out from under the long table loaded with appetizers, snacks, and drinks. “Now, all you have to do to really creep someone out is press this button.” She tapped a power strip with one foot. Immediately, an eerie moan reached them, at first as if from some distance, but quickly building to a wailing cry. This was followed by various creaks and rattles and a burst of glass shattering. She cut the sounds off by lightly stepping on the strip again. “The speakers are mounted under both ends of the table, so no one will know they’re there or expect to hear anything.”
“Geeze. I know they’re there and it still scared me,” Honey admitted with a noticeable shudder.
Trixie dusted off her hands and turned to Regan. “I gave serious consideration to changing the CD to one of Rocket Man,” she told him. “Just for you.”
“Uh, huh. You’re all heart, Trix.”
“Oh!” Honey exclaimed. “I mean, I’m sure you - That is, you heard something.”
Regan decided not to answer that. He already felt a bit like a little kid trying to convince his parents his imaginary friend was real. He didn’t want to go any further down that road. Instead he jerked his head toward the row of jack o’ lanterns on the table. “I can help you with moving those.”
With the three of them working together, they soon had the pumpkins lined up along the front verandah.
“Okay, Bruce,” Trixie said, patting the last one as she set it down. “You be good and we’ll be back to set you on fire in a bit.”
“Bruce?” Regan echoed. “You named it?”
“Well, yeah. D’uh.” She lifted the top and adjusted the position of the candle inside. “Obviously. There’s Barbara, Benny, Blake. I’ll let you figure out which one is Bill.”
He felt his jaw momentarily drop as he took a closer look at each of the carved gourds. “I don’t think I want to know.” Raising one brow, he regarded her expectantly. “So, which one is Beatrix?”
Honey burst out laughing. “He got you there, Trix!”
“You wound me, Bill,” Trixie said with mock seriousness. “You do. I would never be so cruel as to saddle anyone or anything with ‘Beatrix’ as a name. As much as I love my parents, that will always – always – be a strike against them.”
“To be honest, I actually think it’s a nice name,” he told her. “I’m not kidding.”
She peered up at him, her lips pursed thoughtfully. “This concerns me far more than the idea that you are hearing music that isn’t there,” she said after a long moment. “I think there might be something genuinely wrong with you, Regan. Just sayin’.”
~~~~~~~~~~~
Regan glanced at his watch as he mounted the stairs to his garage apartment. He had just enough time to warm up some leftovers and settle in for the game. Although he had become accustomed to and genuinely welcomed Dan as his roommate, it would be nice to have the place to himself for the night.
“She packed my bags last night, pre-flight…”
He paused mid-step and turned his head quickly, listening intently. No, he wasn’t imagining it. Rocket Man. He was half-tempted to run back to the main house and drag someone out to hear it. Dan thought he was nuts. Trixie wasn’t sure what to think. Honey had been clearly trying, in her kind way, to support his claims without actually stating she believed him.
He huffed out a low breath and continued his climb. It was dark. He was tired. He was not going to run around the preserve this late in a futile attempt to chase down the music’s source. He would speak with Karl in the morning about increasing patrols. Between them and with Dan’s help, they stood a reasonable chance of catching their prankster.
Because that was all this could be, he told himself firmly. Just some joker, probably a local teen, thinking it would be fun to give people a scare leading up to Halloween. He wouldn’t have put it past Mart, if he didn’t know for a fact the second eldest Belden sibling was currently with his friends playing the murder mystery game Trixie had devised. In any case, he was done with worrying about it for now.
~~~~~~~~~~
October 26
Trixie stopped as she came upon a large branch laying across her path. She took a moment to drag it off the trail itself, out of the way of any unsuspecting walker or rider. “Bobby!” she called as she approached his treehouse. “C’mon! Moms wants you home early today. She says you have math homework to finish.”
Her youngest brother poked his head out the window and frowned at her. “I’m not done here.”
“Done with what? Look, whatever it is, it’ll have to wait until tomorrow. You don’t want to get grounded again, do you?”
He rolled his eyes and disappeared back inside his small hideaway.
“Bobby!”
“Just a second!” He was back a moment later, a backpack slung over his shoulder. “Geeze, Trix. Sometimes you’re worse than Moms. Worse than Brian, even.”
“Don’t let him hear you say that, kiddo. Brian only has our best interests at heart.”
He stopped halfway down the wooden ladder to stare at her incredulously.
She felt a smile pushing up the corners of her mouth. “O… kay. Maybe he can be a bit, er, overprotective sometimes.”
Bobby remained silent, his blue eyes narrowing even more.
Trixie couldn’t hold back her laughter any longer. Grinning broadly, Bobby dropped the remaining foot to the ground and stepped up next to her, ready to head home.
“So, what were you so secretly working on in there?” Trixie asked as they started down the well-worn path.
“It’s not a big secret,” he said, somewhat defensively. “Just my costume.”
“And that would be?”
He smiled smugly. “Who’s the scariest person you know?”
“That’s an easy one. My math teacher.”
His grin widened. “Okay, second scariest.”
“I dunno. Are we talking in real life, or just in general? Someone who’s a real person or a fictional character?”
He stopped and sent her a withering look. “The Rocket Man? C’mon. Everybody’s talking about him lately. The sun will set. The moon will rise. The Rocket Man comes, and someone dies. I’m making a space suit!”
“Hmm. Clever, I’ll give you that, but Moms might not be exactly on board with it.”
“Moms is fine,” he told her dismissively. “She’s been helping me. She even bought me the helmet. She found a motorcycle helmet at some garage sale and we painted it white.”
“Really? Okay, now I am surprised.”
“Well, it was easy to convince her. First, I begged and begged to be Freddy Krueger. And so when I ‘gave in’ and said I would be the Rocket Man instead, she agreed.”
“Bobby! That’s… that’s really devious. I don’t know whether to admire your ingenuity or rat you out.”
“You won’t rat me out,” he said confidently. “’Cause you aren’t Brian. And ‘cause you know there’s too much stuff I could rat you out on.”
“Oh, ouch. And touché.” Chuckling softly, Trixie reached out and tapped his shoulder. “You have a bright future as a politician, young man.”
They had just reached the fork that branched off in one direction down to the hollow where Crabapple Farm waited for them and in the other up to the palatial mansion belonging to the Wheeler family when they heard it. It was faint, but quite distinct.
“And all this science, I don't understand. It's just my job five days a week. A rocket man. Rocket man.”
“Oh, no way…” Trixie breathed.
“Cool!” Bobby shouted at the same time. “It’s the Rocket Man, Trix! Like everybody’s been saying! The Rocket Man really is back!”
~~~~~~~~~~
October 31
“What do you mean – missing?” Trixie demanded as she slowly set down the spoon she’d used to stir the tomato sauce.
Mart stepped fully into the kitchen. “Missing, as in ‘not in his room getting ready to go trick or treating in town like he’s supposed to be,’ missing” he replied shortly. “As in ‘nowhere in the house’ missing. We have to find him, Trix.”
Trixie spun the knob to turn off the stove and left the pot where it was. “Oh, for crying out loud, Bobby,” she muttered. “Seriously?”
She was just pouring the sauce into a plastic container as the phone rang. Mart grabbed it quickly. “Hello – Oh, Di. Listen we – what?” He turned and waved a hand at Trixie. “When did you realize he was gone? No… Bobby, too. Ten dollars says they’re together somewhere. Terry didn’t give you any clues at all?”
“We should call Dan,” Trixie said. “See if he knows anything. Or maybe Regan. Sometimes the boys tell them stuff they conveniently neglect to tell us.”
Three phone calls and fifteen minutes later, Trixie and Mart were no closer to determining where their youngest brother and his friend were.
“We’ll have to go look for them.” Mart shook his head. “What the heck are they up to? Bobby’s been going on all week about his awesome Halloween surprise. I thought he was just talking about his costume.”
“Probably, he was. He put together a Rocket Man costume that he’s really proud of. Hang on. Let me make one more call.” She reached for the phone again. A few minutes later she hung up and turned back to her brother. “Ok. Regan said he’d check Bobby’s treehouse for us. He can get there from his place faster than we can. Dan is going to search the area around Karl’s cabin. They can’t have gotten too far, can they? I mean, it’s only been a little bit more than an hour since I told Bobby to go get ready to leave.”
Mart nodded in a manner he hoped was encouraging. Privately, he suspected Bobby was capable of getting a fair distance in a relatively short time, but he didn’t see the point in worrying his sister any more than she already was. “Let’s go down to the lake and see if they went that way. Di and her father are covering their property.”
Trixie noted the dropping temperature as soon as she stepped out the kitchen door. She zipped up her coat and set off at a quick trot. Dang it, Bobby. Not how I wanted to spend Halloween evening!
~~~~~~~~~~
Mart, Trixie, and Di watched as Dan and Regan approached from behind the stable. The boys were not with them.
“Oh, no,” Di murmured. “They didn’t find them, either.”
Trixie covered her face with both hands, breathing deeply. I am not going to panic. I’m not, she thought firmly before speaking to the others. She dropped her arms and sighed. “Okay. I think we’ve pretty much covered it here. They aren’t somewhere in the game preserve unless they’re out there deliberately running around avoiding us all.”
“Sorry, Trix,” Dan said quietly as he came to stand next to her. “Karl is still looking, just in case, but I think you’re right.”
“Miss Trask is going to go into Sleepyside,” Honey announced as she joined them on the drive. “She’ll look for them there and also see if she can find Mr. and Mrs. Belden at the theater. Regan, can you drive her and help her look? Tom and Celia won't be back until late tonight.”
"Of course." He nodded briefly and walked briskly toward the Manor House garage. Only moments later, he was backing Mr. Wheeler's Town Car carefully out. Trixie and the others moved closer to the stable, out of his way, waving to the groom and estate manager as they passed.
Mart turned to study his sister closely. “Trix, out of all of us, you probably know Bobby best. Instead of this barely organized search party chaos, maybe we need to really stop and think. Where would he go? Where would Bobby and Larry be on Halloween night? I mean, especially when it means, whatever they’re up to, they’re forgoing the free candy from trick or treating?”
She frowned, thinking hard. Where are you, little brother?
“And I think it’s going to be a long, long time…”
Everyone froze for a moment. As they listened, the song volume increased.
Trixie glanced at the road, her expression revealing her agitation. “You can knock it off, Rocket Man,” she muttered in annoyance. “We have way bigger things to worry about right now! Ugh!”
The music faded away quickly and she looked back at her friends. “Did you hear that? That was a car. I definitely heard a car.”
“I think I did hear tires on gravel,” Dan replied. “But at this point, maybe that’s just wishful thinking.”
“Yeah, well. I think our theory on that score is right. Somebody’s been driving around playing that song, just to scare people. Whatever. It’s Halloween. That should stop tonight. We’ll probably find out at school next week who it was. Meanwhile-“ she broke off, eyes widening. “Oh. Oh! Oh, my - Robert Andrew Belden! I’m going to kill you myself!”
“Trix?” Honey asked uncertainly.
“We need to get out to Carter Lake. You know where Bobby and Larry are? They’re out there trying to see if they can spot the Rocket Man!”
~~~~~~~~~~
Barely waiting for Dan to stop the car, Trixie popped open her door and was off running.
“Trixie! Wait!” Mart called as he clambered from the vehicle. In moments, his sister disappeared from view, swallowed up by the darkness of the forest. “Perfect. You know, it would help if my sister had at least some sense of caution. Being completely fearless is not always a good thing.”
Before the others could speak, they became aware of the music, distant but readily identifiable. The Rocket Man lyrics somehow seemed especially sinister now, as if beckoning them toward the lake like a siren’s deadly song. Di clutched at Honey’s arm. “Trixie may be fearless when it comes to the ghost,” she said shakily. “But I’m not!”
“C’mon,” Dan said grimly. “We need to catch up with her.”
“Do you want to wait in the car?” Honey asked Di. “No one would blame you.”
Diana hesitated only for a few seconds before answering. “No. That’s my brother out there, too. I’m coming.”
~~~~~~~~~~
Even with Dan’s flashlight, it was not easy navigating the dirt path that lead to Carter Lake’s main boat dock. Honey stumbled twice, wondering how Trixie had managed to get so far ahead without a light herself. Though the moon was full and bright in the night sky, it was mostly blocked out by the tree cover, only providing minimal help when they occasionally passed under an open spot in the foliage.
The night had gotten even colder than she expected. She was shivering despite the physical effort of keeping up with the others. In truth, though, she wasn’t entirely sure she could blame the chill air for that, any more than she could say for certain that her racing heart was thanks to their brisk pace. She was scared. She was scared for Bobby and Larry and what they might foolishly do just to see a “ghost,” but it was more than that. She was scared of the Rocket Man. It didn’t matter that her rational side rejected the very notion of it, she simply couldn’t help herself.
She hadn’t grown up in Sleepyside. The Rocket Man was not a part of her childhood. But there she was, rushing down a twisting trail through a dark forest, her mind throwing up the words to that old urban legend though she tried to think of anything else. Like a television theme song that could get stuck in her head for days, over and over it repeated.
The sun will set.
The moon will rise.
The Rocket Man comes,
And someone dies.
He can't be stopped.
He can't be beat.
Halloween night,
All trick, no treat.
Some night animal darted out from the undergrowth in front of them and Honey was unable to prevent a shriek. Her cry startled the others enough that they, too, let out yells. As if in answer to their shouts, they heard the song yet again. This time, it seemed to come at them from multiple directions.
Di grabbed Honey’s hand and they locked fingers. “Th- this is crazy,” she said shakily.
Drawing in a sharp breath, Dan waved his flashlight around. “I don’t see anyone else here. We should keep moving.” He led them on until they came to a fork in the path. He muttered something under his breath that Honey was reasonably sure was not suitable for all company. “Right or left?” he asked. “I don’t remember. And why isn’t there a sign, da – dang it?”
“It’s left,” Di told them. “We just have to go a little further that way and we’ll end up right above the boat ramp and dock.”
Mart shot her a surprised look. “Are you sure? Uh, direction isn’t, you know…”
“My strong suit? Yeah, Mart, I know. But in this case, I am sure.” She tossed her head, sending her long, dark locks flying, and set off without waiting to see if the others were following her.
“Well, I guess that’s one way to get her over her fear,” Dan said quietly. “Piss her off. Good job, dude.”
They came out of the woods abruptly, pausing momentarily at the top of a gentle, grassy slope that ended at the narrow strip of beach on the lake’s shore. Below, Trixie had already reached the end of the long dock. The evenly spaced lights that ran along the wooden structure lit up the area and they could see Bobby and Larry struggling with a rowboat that was tied to a beam.
Trixie’s shout reached them as they raced down the hill. “Are you crazy?” she yelled as she skidded to a stop. “Get out of there right now before you capsize and fall in!”
~~~~~~~~~~
Trixie practically hauled her younger brother out of the boat by the back of his coat. “Geeze Louise! What are you thinking? You don’t even have a life vest on! You, either, Larry! You two are smarter than this!”
Bobby and Larry climbed awkwardly back onto the dock, avoiding her angry gaze. They hurried toward the shore where they could see Dan, Mart, Di and Honey charging in their direction as fast as they could manage on the loose sand.
Trixie bent down to make sure the boat was still securely fastened. As she straightened, she caught a flash of something in the water. Something large and light colored. At the same moment, she heard the now far too familiar refrain.
“And I think it’s going to be a long, long time, ‘til touchdown brings me round again to find…”
She blinked. “What the-“ she whispered, watching as the glowing shape grew. Without any warning, the dark, icy water surged up before her like a living thing. Trixie spun around, intending to run as fast as her feet would carry her, but her legs were swept out from under her and she tumbled backward into the lake. Sharp, bitter cold stung her face and hands as she struggled to surface. She flailed about for a moment, panic robbing her mind of rational thought. She felt a hard tug on her arm and without thinking, opened her eyes. The lights from the dock above illuminated the dark lake with a dim, eerie glow that had a distinct greenish tint.
Rocket Man!
If she could have screamed, she would have. Instead, she used both hands to shove at the glowing figure in front of her. This was not happening. This could not be happening.
Moving slowly, like an astronaut floating untethered in space, the ghostly form waved one arm and pointed down. Something metal glinted in the dark pondweed that grew along the lake bottom. Not quite knowing why, Trixie stopped fighting, allowing herself to be pulled even further downward. She reached out for the unknown object. Her fingers were numb from the frigid water and she found it hard to close her hand around it, but somehow she was able to grasp it and pull it free from where it was lodged.
There was a strange moment as she felt a sense of release. The water that had pressed down on her with an inexplicable force now seemed to be propelling her upward. She’d won the battle and the lake was surrendering. Letting her go. Air. She needed air. Black spots swam before her eyes and she knew she only had seconds left. The last thing she saw before breaking the surface and gasping desperately for breath was the Rocket Man, for one moment blindingly clear, smiling at her through his homemade helmet before melting away like smoke on a soft breeze.
It was Mart who reached her first. She hadn’t even realized he’d jumped in after her until she felt his arms wrapping around her, holding her as high above the water’s surface as he could. She heard someone else shouting her name. Dan, she thought, but everything had gone hazy. She was so terribly cold. Her mind was blank. Hands lifted her up and she was back on the dock. As someone wrapped a coat around her, Trixie’s world faded to black.
~~~~~~~~~~
November 2
“I don’t remember,” Trixie said quietly, shifting her weight to get more comfortable on the couch. “I remember standing on the dock and yelling at Bobby and Larry to get back out of the boat. Then water. Cold. So, cold. And that’s it. Next thing I know, I’m at Sleepyside General and my Dad is thanking me for keeping Bobby from doing something really stupid that night.”
“And the rocket ship?” Honey asked carefully. She leaned forward and placed the small box of cookies she’d brought her friend down on the scarred but highly polished end table, an antique she had no doubt had been a part of Crabapple Farm for at least three generations.
“Not a clue. How I ended up with that in my hand? I can’t begin to explain it.”
“You know what they’re saying, don’t you? That it belonged to the Rocket Man. To Henry. It was his favorite toy. Congratulations, Trix. You’re now officially part of the Rocket Man legend. You’re the girl who helped the ghost with his final wishes, rescuing his rocket ship from Carter Lake. They’re even saying you broke some kind of curse and the Rocket Man won’t try to claim any more victims.”
Trixie sat up straighter, the old quilt falling into in her lap. “They? Who’s they? Who’s saying any of that?”
“Pretty much everyone who knows you went into the lake Halloween night. Which means just about everyone in Sleepyside at this point.”
“This is bonkers. What do they even think? That I – I freed a ghost by pulling an old toy from the lake?”
“That’s one theory. That maybe the others died trying, but you succeeded and now it’s all over.”
“You cannot possibly be buying into this?” Trixie studied Honey intently. “I mean, I know I’ve seen some strange stuff before, but not even you believed me back in Minnesota when I said I thought a ghost saved me.”
“No, I don’t really believe it. I think you fell in and for some reason latched on to the only thing you could see underwater.”
“It’s so weird, having no memory of any of this. I can’t even figure out how I ended up in the lake. Did I trip or something?”
Honey shook her head, not replying immediately.
“What?” Trixie finally asked, wondering if Honey would even answer.
“I – well, none of us really can explain it. You ran out onto the dock, screaming at Bobby and Larry to get out of the boat. And man, Trix, I had no idea you could run that fast. You were way ahead of the rest of us. The boys knew they were busted and they got back to shore pretty quick, but you were just standing there, looking down into the water and then – then…”
“Then? Yeah? What? What happened?”
“Please understand, even though there were lights, it was still pretty dark out and, I think we were all freaked out at that point. Even without really believing in the Rocket Man.”
Trixie frowned. “I – I could hear it. The song.”
“Are you sure? I mean, we heard it when we got out of the car, and then when we were in the woods, but by that point, not anymore.”
“No, Honey, I could hear it, and I swear, it was coming from the lake. Then, I dunno, I was just in the water. It goes blank after that.”
“It was weird. From what I could see, it was like you got suddenly pulled in, like something grabbed you from behind just as you turned to go, but that doesn’t make any sense.” She twisted her fingers together, unable to disguise her disquiet. “You know something else weird? Absolutely no one has ‘fessed up to being responsible for the song. Lots of people all around town say they heard it for days leading up to Halloween, but nobody is claiming to be behind it. It’s odd.”
They stared at one another for a long moment, each uncertain and unsettled.
“Do you remember anything at the hospital?” Honey asked suddenly, more to fill the uncomfortable silence than anything. “You refused to let the rocket ship go. The ER doctor practically had to pry it from your hand. You caused a pretty big fuss.”
“I did? I don’t have any memory of that, either. Ugh. I really do hate having these gaps in what I remember. You know, maybe it’s all a coincidence. Maybe it was never the Rocket Man’s anyway, but just some toy a bored kid threw in the lake at some point.”
“Well, it’s certainly a style that it could’ve been from about when Henry Tillerman died,” Honey replied slowly, “though Brian says he thinks it’s too well-preserved for something that would have been underwater for a coupla decades.” She hesitated briefly, then continued. “If – if it did belong to him, maybe you should consider giving it back to his parents?”
“I don’t know,” Trixie responded quietly. “I mean, not that I have any objection to letting them have it. Just, if it isn’t Henry’s, maybe that would be too cruel? Opening old wounds unnecessarily? I wish there was some way to be sure.”
“I have an idea on that. It may be grasping at straws, but I’m wondering if we can find a photo in the Sleepyside Sun archives with him and it. From what I understand, he went everywhere in his space suit carrying his rocket. I know it’s a really long shot, but we could try.”
~~~~~~~~~~
November 7
“That’s it!” Trixie exclaimed. “Look. It even has the same weird symbol on the side.”
“Shhhh…”
Trixie felt her cheeks redden as she sent the librarian an apologetic look.
“I agree,” Honey said in a whisper. “It’s the same. Now we know for sure.”
~~~~~~~~~~
November 10
Trixie stood nervously on the porch of the small bungalow, wondering if anyone would answer the bell. Just as she was about to turn away, the door creaked open and an older man peered out at her uncertainly. “If you’re selling something, I’m afraid I don’t need any cookies or make up or funny scented candles,” he said with a slight smile.
“Hello,” she said, taking a deep breath. “My name is Trixie Belden, and I… I have something for you.”
And I think it's gonna be a long, long time
'Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no, no, no I'm a rocket man.
'Till touch down brings me round again to find
I'm not the man they think I am at home
Oh no, no, no I'm a rocket man.