The Midnight Bear Express

by Francis Gideon

Cody Langley is a broke college student who wants to do something nice for his niece and nephew for the holidays. Before New Year’s, he decides to take them to Treasure Bears, a toy workshop which allows children to build and customize their own personal stuffed toy. With some prep and warning from his sister, Cody takes the kids to the mall and hopes the adventure will go smoothly.


Inside the loud and overbearing store, Cody soon sees something catch his a sales clerk with dark hair, broad shoulders, and a bit of a beard. Taggart, a sales associate, is Cody’s perfect type. But before Cody can make a good first impression on Tag, his nephew Cameron decides to have a tantrum in the middle of the store.


Unprepared and embarrassed, Cody’s not sure what to do. That’s where Taggart, who’s had more than enough experience with kids, saves the day. To get Cameron to cooperate, Tag tells him about the Midnight Bear a train full of stuffed bears who will fill up any empty bear-skin during the night. The story wows Cameron just enough to calm him down and get him out of the store without any more issues. The story also allows for Tag and Cody to meet up again later that night, to grab the toy Cameron leaves behind.


But after their evening is done, Cody wonders about his role in Taggart’s story. Will Cody get his very own boyfriend from the bear express, or will he be left out in the cold on New Year’s again?

38 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 10, 2015

About the author

Francis Gideon is an editor and writer. He has appeared in Microscenes, Gay Flash Fiction, and JMS Books. He lives in Canada.