Til There Was You - Dr. Harvey x Farmer, Leah x Shane Stardew Valley Fic

chapter 5 - jensen

I looked at myself in the mirror holding the pickaxe that was nearly half the size of my whole body. I looked ridiculous, as I had expected, and it was hard not to laugh at myself. I really went from being a normal college student having to worry about my grades to being a farm owner having to worry about mining ores for my tools. It was a twist I had never saw coming, that was for sure. I figured if I stood here staring at my reflection any longer, I might talk myself out of going to the mine, so I quickly headed out the door before I could change my mind.

    Walking towards Robin's carpentry shop, I felt very apprehensive. And then, there it was — a gaping hole in the side of a cliff. This had to be the entrance to the mine. Seeing it there in front of me made the fact that I was about to go mining in a cave all too real. Taking a deep breath, I resolved to make it a quick in-and-out trip. If I couldn't find any ore within ten minutes, I would accept my fate and make do with the old, worn-out tools I had.

    Stepping into the cave, I looked around, taking in my surroundings. The torches already hanging from the walls provided a flickering illumination, guiding my path through the darkness. It was a relief, as I hadn't even considered the need for light. Armed only with my pickaxe, I surveyed the surroundings. All I saw were dark rocks, until a glimmer caught my eye. There it was - a rock jutting out from the wall, adorned with shimmering copper nuggets. A wave of excitement and relief washed over me. This looked like it was exactly what I had come here for, and I had been able to find it so quickly! It almost felt too good to be true.

    Now came the challenge of actually using a pickaxe. This wasn't exactly a skill that was taught in business school. Squatting down on the cold cave floor, I cautiously struck the rock's surface with the pointed end of the axe. Some small cracks began to form, but at this rate, it would take me all night to free the tiny pieces of copper clinging to the rock. I needed another method.

    Summoning my courage, I decided to take a step back and swing the pickaxe with all my might. Maybe a forceful strike would break the rock apart without damaging the precious ore. I stood up, dusted myself off, and raised the heavy tool high above my head. With a determined swing, I brought it down upon the stubborn rock. To my astonishment, it crumbled instantly, granting me access to the valuable copper. I started gathering the precious metal pieces when suddenly, a deafening rumble echoed through the cave.

    Everything happened in a blur. The world seemed to move in slow motion as the ceiling of the cave began to collapse. It felt surreal, as if I were observing the scene from a third person perspective. My own screams filled my ears as the loud rumble reverberated through the air. I managed to just barely make it out of the cave before the collapse, but in the chaos, I tripped over a log and hit the ground hard. I groaned out in pain as my vision faded to black.