Writing Stardew Valley Fan Novel Series
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Gamer1234556
Farmhand
Chapter 7.5 – Emily
It felt like today was going to be another day.Another shift at the Saloon, another evening of wiping counters, smiling through Pam’s rants, managing Shane’s mood swings.
At least Eric’s company usually made things tolerable.
But ever since the mines opened, he'd been avoiding me.
People said he was involved in an accident, but Shane kept brushing it off as if it was nothing.
I wanted to check on him… but every time I tried, something pulled me back.
Work.
Customers.
Shane’s jealous looks.
And now it was Lewis’s birthday — normally a cheerful night — but even that felt strangely heavy today.
Gus had baked a small chocolate cake — he kept glancing at it from the back kitchen, waiting for enough people to arrive so the moment wouldn’t feel awkward.
The smell drifted through the Saloon, warm and sweet.
Under different circumstances, it would’ve made me smile.
Instead, it only tightened the uneasy knot in my stomach.
Gus tried. He really did.
“Hey, uh…” he began gently. “You doing alright, Lewis? The cake’s on the house tonight, if you want it early.”
Lewis exhaled like the air itself had weight.
“No… I’m not hungry.”
Gus paused mid–glass wipe.
That was bad.
Lewis always humoured Gus on birthdays, even when things were rough.
“It must be rough," Gus said quietly, “having to trust your best friend’s kid with the… mess you inherited.”
Lewis didn’t look up.
“I thought I was ready for this job,” he murmured. “It was either me or George. And nobody liked George.”
Gus’s shoulders slumped in sympathy.
“Yeah… this town isn’t easy to lead. Not when you’ve got no support.”
Lewis swallowed.
“I really thought trusting Joja would help. But now they’re pushing me again — pressing me to sell them the Community Center.”
A cold shiver ran down my spine.
Joja never stopped.
Once they got a foothold, they just kept digging.
Gus clenched his jaw.
“Yep. That sounds exactly like them.”
Lewis rubbed his face, exhausted.
You could almost see the emotional gears turning — frustration sliding into guilt, then slipping into fear.
“I feel like I gave Eric an impossible task,” he said quietly. “I showed him the Community Center, and he told me he saw… green cubes. Floating.”
He shook his head. “I thought he hit his head too hard in the mines, but the way he reacted… it seemed real.”
Gus blinked.
“Green cubes?”
I felt the air leave my lungs.
No one ever believed me when I talked about things like that.
Especially Shane.
He always rolled his eyes, muttered something about “hippie nonsense,” and changed the subject.
But Lewis?
Lewis wasn’t the type to invent things.
“He kept insisting,” Lewis continued. “And then, after he said it, he changed. Like he was hiding something.”
The sweet smell of the birthday cake shifted in the air again as Gus moved it closer to the counter, hopeful.
It did nothing to calm me.
If anything, it made the dread heavier.
Eric… what happened to you?
Gus tried to brush it off.
“Maybe Eric’s just stressed. Or tired. And the Wizard? Come on, he’s just some cranky old hermit who plays with potions. I doubt he’s doing anything suspicious.”
But Lewis didn’t nod.
He stared at the counter like it held the truth.
“I don’t know,” he whispered. “But I… really hope Eric didn’t meet the Wizard.”
My heart stalled.
Lewis believed it.
Actually believed it.
Even Gus went still.
Lewis rubbed his temple.
“Whenever I’m around that man, it feels like he already knows it’s too late for Pelican Town. Like I already signed its death warrant.”
I glanced toward the Saloon door — reflexive, anxious.
Shane’s shift ended twenty minutes ago.
He’d walk in soon.
And when he did, he'd see me listening to this, absorbing this, worrying about Eric again.
I swallowed.
Please don’t come in yet.
Please.
Lewis straightened a little, trying to salvage the mood.
“At least Eric gave me a daffodil for my birthday,” he said with a weak smile, “Can’t go wrong with those.”
I actually felt myself smile softly.
Well… at least that part of him hasn’t changed.
But the knot in my stomach was still there.
Tightening.
Waiting for the door to swing open and Shane to storm in.
First Pam, then Leah, then Willy, then Harvey.
Then… Shane.
My whole body went cold. I kept my smile fixed in place, but inside, something twisted tight.
Gus practically vibrated with excitement.
“Right! Everyone is here! Let’s all come along for Lewis’s fifty-first birthday!” he said, lifting the cake we’d worked on since morning. I held the platter with him, the sugary scent drifting up between us. The warm smell should’ve soothed me — that buttery sweetness we’d saved as a surprise for Lewis — but instead it only tightened the knot in my stomach.
And then the chorus began.
“Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to you!
Happy birthday to our dear Mayor!
Happy birthday to you!
May dear Yoba bless you…”
I tried to feel happy. I wanted to. But I couldn’t. Not with Shane standing there, grumpy and unpredictable, and my nerves as thin as paper.
As the customers gathered around, Shane’s expression softened — barely — when he eyed the cake.
“Hey, Emily,” he said. “How’s it going?”
I exhaled. “It’s fine, Shane.”
“You know, this cake used a ton of eggs. From Marnie’s ranch. I really put my all into raising those hens.”
For a moment, it felt like I was talking to the Shane I wished he could be — steady, thoughtful, a version of him I sometimes believed still existed.
“Oh! You never told me that,” I said, happy to talk about anything neutral.
“Yeah… I was… I was a bit bitter these past few days because of endless shifts at Joja, but now I can finally breathe.”
Across the room, Lewis pierced his slice of cake with mechanical precision, face unreadable. The whole scene felt fragile, like one wrong sound could break it.
And then Shane mentioned Eric.
“You know the best thing about this? I don’t have to see that farmer again. I can finally spend time with you. Isn’t that great—”
And then it all shattered.
The door swung open and chilly night air swept in — along with Eric, holding an eel like it was the most normal thing in the world.
“W-what?” Shane stammered.
“Help Wanted stuff,” I muttered, sinking behind my hands.
Eric stepped forward. “Leah, your seaweed. Willy, your eel.”
The timing was so painfully absurd, I wanted to disappear behind the counter.
Shane laughed, but it was brittle. “Could you… not have chosen a better time for this?”
Harvey tried asking Eric about his injuries, but Leah quickly dragged him off with a glare. Eric grabbed a piece of cake, ate silently, then left. Just like that. Not a word to me.
“Huh. That’s odd,” Shane chuckled. “I thought he’d have more to say.”
Shane’s eyes flicked toward me, and my stomach tightened.
I knew that look.
I knew what was coming.
“Hey,” he said quietly. “What’s going on?”
“Nothing.”
“Don’t lie to me. I know it’s something.”
Gus glanced over, worried. Pam looked seconds away from shouting. The air felt sharp, heavy.
Then Shane’s voice rose.
“Please don’t… please don’t tell me you developed feelings for him.”
He stepped forward like he might grab my arm — but Gus intercepted sharply.
“Shane, that’s enough.”
Shane blinked, shocked.
“You need to lower your voice. She’s at work, and you’re upsetting her. If you need to talk, do it outside — and do it respectfully.”
Shane’s jaw clenched. “You don’t know him like you think you do… Just stop hanging around him, okay? I don’t like it.”
He grumbled something under his breath and slunk back to his corner.
The party noise resumed, but everything felt off-kilter, hollow.
“Emily,” Gus called gently from behind me.
I turned. He was standing in the doorway of the Saloon, the warm light spilling out behind him.
“Sorry about what happened with Shane,” he said. “That was unacceptable of him to treat you like that.”
I stared at the ground. “It’s alright…”
“It’s not,” he said softly.
The sympathy in his voice made something tighten in my chest.
“You really didn’t want to be in this relationship, did you?”
I let out a long, tired sigh.
“Marnie approached me once… She said Shane had been depressed for days, and that having me as his dance partner — maybe even a temporary girlfriend — would cheer him up.”
Gus’s expression darkened with guilt.
“And instead,” I whispered, “it feels like he turned me into his therapist.”
He nodded slowly, eyes full of understanding.
“I think I can see why you reacted the way you did tonight. I wasn’t sure at first… but it’s starting to make sense.”
I blinked. “What do you mean?”
“You’re someone who listens to everyone else’s troubles,” Gus said gently. “But I don’t think anyone ever stops to listen to yours.”
He folded his arms, thoughtful.
“And someone like Eric… well, he does. He works hard — too hard, probably — but he truly means well. I can see why that matters to you.”
The words hit too close. My throat tightened.
I wanted to cry. I really did.
But I couldn’t. Not yet. Not standing here.
“If you want,” Gus offered softly, “I can talk to him. Let him know how you’re feeling.”
I shook my head, barely managing a breath.
“I don’t think that’s necessary. I… have a feeling he’ll come back on his own.”
Gus considered this, then nodded. “Alright. I hope it works out for you, Emily. Truly.”
He gave me a small wave before heading back inside.
I walked home.
The house felt too quiet without his voice — like the silence itself was pressing against my chest.
And then the tears came.
Eric… you aren’t talking to me.
Can you tell me what is going on?
I feel like I’m drowning here.
You’re the only one who listens.
Eric… I need you.
I don’t know why….
Stop pushing me away…
Gamer1234556
Farmhand
Chapter 8
It’s been about a week since I first moved to Stardew Valley.Yet somehow it felt like I’d been here for months—like I knew more than I should, more than anybody was saying aloud.
I woke up to the rooster crowing again. Please let that be a good omen.
I glanced at the two geodes sitting in my chest.
Might as well take them to Clint today.
Weather: Sunny
Spirits: Happy
Good start.
Living Off the Land:
Let’s talk fences! Fences are useful for keeping weeds at bay…
My potatoes were ready—no silver or gold stars, unfortunately.
I checked the mail.
Hi.
Me sell hats. Okay, poke?
Come to old old old haus, poke. Bring coines.
—hat mouse
Right. This valley really is full of strange characters nobody talks about.
Another letter:
Robin here!
I know there’s a lot of stone scattered around your farm…
At least her voice was reassuring. Too bad I couldn’t tell her anything about yesterday.
I watered the rest of the crops.
Evelyn was asking for herring on the “Help Wanted” board.
I had other priorities—mostly finding a leek to finish the Spring Foraging bundle. The daffodil, horseradish, and dandelion were ready in my pack. Just one leek left.
Luckily, I found one east of the mountains.
I returned to the Community Center, offered the four items, and read the golden scroll. A soft glow washed over the room, and a bundle of spring seeds appeared at my feet—thirty in total.
Then something else happened:
Two other plaques lit up, and two new golden scrolls faded into view—Crops and Fish.
A yellow Junimo toddled out, collected the foraging bundle, and carried it into a tiny hut in the corner.
Still surreal.
Back at the farm, I planted the thirty seeds in a neat 10x3 grid.
When I returned to town square, Harvey was taking a break. Vincent was hiding in a bush. Jodi and a green-haired woman were chatting.
“Oh! Hello, Eric!” Jodi waved. “Have you met Caroline yet?”
“Er… no.”
“This is Caroline—Pierre’s wife and my best friend.”
We shook hands. They went back to gossiping about their kids.
Evelyn hummed to herself as she trimmed flowers.
Maru was sitting at the bench; we exchanged a wave.
I checked the Blacksmith shop.
Closed at 4 PM.
Of course. Too late.
I sighed and went to Gunther, donating quartz, amethyst, topaz, and earth crystals.
“Try to be more careful down in the mines,” he warned. “Several government and Joja workers went down there but never came back. Let’s hope you aren’t one of them.”
I nodded. He said something else under his breath—something about the Wizard—but I couldn’t catch it.
Outside, I spotted Maru chatting with Penny near the clinic steps. Penny stood with her hands folded in front of her, listening more than speaking, like usual.
“Hey, ever think about taking a break from teaching?” Maru teased.
“No, I actually enjoy working with kids!” Penny answered, smiling but soft.
They noticed me approaching.
“Oh! Hey, Eric,” Maru called. Penny gave a small, polite wave — the kind of wave meant for someone she wasn’t sure she knew well enough yet. “How’s the mineral collecting?”
“Pretty good. I dropped off some of the common ones at the museum.”
“Good call. Amethyst’s the real winner—Emily loves it, Abby too, and Clint.”
“Emily told me. The Abby part surprised me.”
Maru grinned. “There’s a joke that she eats the stuff.”
I laughed despite myself.
“Topaz is nice for dresses — Emily uses it. Earth Crystals and Quartz are better for crafting. Mayonnaise Machines, sprinklers… all that.”
As I spoke, Penny stayed quiet, eyes dipping down toward her shoes like she didn’t want to interrupt. Maru nudged her gently with an elbow.
“What about you, Penny? You like minerals?”
Penny startled a little, as if she hadn’t expected to be part of the conversation.
“Oh—um, Emeralds and Diamonds!” she said quickly. “But those seem hard to find.”
“You can get them,” I reassured. “They’re just… deep.”
“Ah.” Her smile was small, almost shyly grateful.
There was a pause — not awkward, just soft — the kind that fit Penny’s calmness more than any kind of silence from me.
I said goodbye and headed toward the Saloon.
Emily brightened the moment I stepped inside—like she’d been holding her breath all evening, waiting for me to appear.
“Ah! Hey, Eric!”
“Hey.”
Before I could say anything else, Gus leaned over the counter with a grin.
“Emily’s been worried about you. Says you’ve been avoiding her!”
I froze.
Avoiding her?
I’d been avoiding everyone, but hearing it said aloud landed heavier than I expected.
“Oh… really?”
Emily’s hands fidgeted at her waist, the excitement in her expression dimming.
“Well… I heard you fainted in the mines, and I got stressed out,” she admitted. “I thought I wouldn’t see you again.”
“Really?”
I hadn’t imagined she’d think about it past the moment it happened.
“It wasn’t that bad,” I muttered. “Just went too deep.”
But Emily wasn’t letting me off that easily.
“Then you stopped talking to me.”
Her voice was softer now, but sharper too.
“During Lewis’s birthday… you came in, dropped off your deliveries, grabbed cake, and left. You didn’t even look at me.”
I winced.
That was true.
But at the time all I could think about was the Wizard, the Junimos, and Lewis collapsing under the weight of running this town.
“That wasn’t about you,” I said quickly. “It’s… complicated.”
Emily stepped a little closer.
“And I thought I finally met someone to whom I could talk. Someone who wasn’t just… passing through my life. And then you go and put yourself in extreme danger.”
That hit harder than I expected.
She’d really been thinking about this.
“Emily… I made a mistake,” I said. “I should’ve been more careful. I didn’t faint in the mines, I just… spent too long down there and collapsed on the way home.”
I scratched my cheek. “I didn’t think it was a big deal.”
She breathed out slowly, some of her tension leaving—but not all.
“Still… you have to take care of yourself,” she said quietly. “I don’t want you getting hurt.”
There it was again.
Simple, unfiltered concern.
She didn’t ask what I’d been doing. Didn’t press. Didn’t judge.
Just cared.
“I’ll be careful,” I said. “Promise.”
Her shoulders finally relaxed.
Then she perked up a little.
“Oh! Have you met my sister Haley yet?”
“No. Alex mentioned her though.”
Emily rolled her eyes. “I keep telling her to say hi to you, but she won’t listen. It’s been a week! She drives me nuts sometimes.”
I shrugged. “Some people are harder to warm up to.”
“True,” she sighed. “But she’s my sister. I just… want to be a good example.”
There was a sadness there I hadn’t noticed before.
Before I could respond, the door slammed open.
Pam stormed in, Shane trailing behind her like a shadow.
“Hey Gus! Back for more!” Pam hollered.
She glanced at me. “Oh, hey Eric! Thought you didn’t wanna talk to us anymore!”
I lowered my gaze. “Just had a lot happen this week.”
“You mean mining? Careful down there! One wrong move and bam, you’re dead!”
Emily’s expression tightened instantly—Pam had voiced the exact fear she’d been suppressing.
And suddenly it felt obvious:
Emily hadn’t been overreacting.
She actually cared.
Maybe more than she should.
And maybe more than I realized.
“I gotta go,” I said. “See you.”
“Remember the promise, Eric!” Emily called after me—smiling now but still watching me like she wasn’t convinced I wouldn’t keel over the second I left the building.
I nodded.
As I turned toward the door, Shane’s eyes flicked up.
Not anger.
Not annoyance.
Resentment.
And something bitter underneath it.
Maybe envy.
Outside, I spotted Leah.
“Hey, Leah. Heading to the Saloon?”
“Nah, got some projects to work on.”
“Oh.”
She glanced toward the trees. “This area’s beautiful. If you stick around, I’ll show you what I’ve been carving.”
I nodded.
“Hey—why’d you become a farmer?”
“I made a promise to my grandfather. I hated my old city life and wanted out. Nothing fancy.”
She smiled faintly. “I get that. I left the city too. Broke up with my boyfriend and came here to reconnect with nature.”
That caught me off guard.
“You had a boyfriend?”
“Yeah. It felt like he didn’t really value my work. He liked the idea of me being creative. Not the reality of it.”
There was something bitter in the way she said it.
I hesitated. “I broke up with my girlfriend before coming here too.”
Leah looked up. “Really?”
“Yeah. We worked together. I started noticing things. Late nights. Closed-door meetings that didn’t need to be closed-door.” I gave a humorless shrug. “Probably another co-worker climbing the ladder.”
“You never found out?”
“No.” I paused. “Didn’t want to.”
Leah studied me for a moment, like she almost wanted to say something more.
“Oh—” she glanced at the sky. “I’ve got to go. See you around, okay?”
And just like that, she was gone.
Up in the mountains, I saw Sebastian leaving the house as Robin and Demetrius talked.
“Hey Sebastian!” Demetrius called. “You been talking to Eric lately?”
Sebastian ignored him entirely.
“Hey! Don’t ignore me—”
Robin sighed. “Just give him time! He won’t warm up in a week.”
“Well, he could at least say hi! If Maru can do it—”
“I know, Demetrius. I’m working on it.”
They noticed me.
“Oh! Sorry you heard that,” Robin laughed nervously. “Going to the Community Center?”
“Yeah. Lewis showed it to me.”
I wanted to mention the Wizard. Couldn’t.
“It’d be great if you fixed it up. It’s been abandoned forever.”
I wonder why…
Demetrius chimed in, “Maru helps me with research sometimes. Glad you two get along.”
Robin shot him an exasperated look.
“I’m heading to the mines,” I said.
“It’s 7 PM, Eric. Be careful,” Robin warned.
“Probably don’t go too deep,” Demetrius agreed.
“Yeah, I’ve been catching up with people. Lost track of time.”
“Well, good thing you’re talking to us now!” Robin said. “Dinner time! See you.”
I only reached level 12 before nerves made me turn back. Still got good copper, though.
The last two days had felt like an earthquake—a shift in tone, a sense that trust was… limited.
But today was different. Lighter.
Talking to Maru, Emily, Robin—actually feeling seen again—helped more than I expected.
Penny didn’t say much, but she always seemed like more of a listener than a talker anyway.
Here’s hoping tomorrow stays on this track.
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Cuddlebug
Farmer
That's "Living of the Land" btw...
Hope, you don't get this poor guy into a love triangle
Gamer1234556
Farmhand
Yeah, thanks for reminding me lol. I get the two mixed up.That's "Living of the Land" btw...
Hope, you don't get this poor guy into a love triangle
Gamer1234556
Farmhand
Chapter 9
I woke to a bright, quiet morning — too quiet.No rooster again. Just sunlight and stillness, like the valley was pretending nothing strange had happened yesterday.
Weather: Clear
Spirits: Very Happy
Happy spirits.
If only that meant anything to me right now.
I watered the crops mechanically. My thoughts kept looping back to yesterday — Lewis’s resigned glance, the Wizard’s cryptic warnings, the sense that both of them were keeping something huge from me. Something about the Community Center… about the valley… about me.
By the time I reached town, Lewis’s request on the Help Wanted board stopped me short:
Bring him a Red Mushroom.
Poisonous. Disliked.
Hidden in the mines.
Why?
Another secret, probably. Another thing I wasn’t supposed to ask about.
I shook it off and headed north. Maru greeted me on her way to the clinic, cheerful and oblivious to the knot of worry I carried.
Inside the Community Center, I placed my offerings. The Junimo scrolls shimmered faintly, colors rippling like breath. The light clung to my hands a beat too long. I stepped back.
Outside, even Robin’s warm wave couldn’t settle me.
My head felt crowded.
I stopped by Linus’s tent. Maybe he’d be a grounding presence.
Instead, he snapped, “Have you come to ridicule me? I was leaving on urgent business.”
Harsh. Too harsh.
But something in his eyes flicked—almost fear.
Of what?
Of me?
Of the mine?
I backed off and headed toward the mountains.
I started on Level 10, already gripping the wooden club with irritation.
Slow, heavy, unwieldy.
By Level 13, sweat clung to my neck. The club swung like a dead tree limb.
A Duggy ambushed me; my reaction was too slow, and it nearly knocked me flat. I crushed it, panting, but the frustration burned deeper than the bruise.
With every rock smashed, I kept thinking:
What did the Wizard expect me to do with this knowledge?
Why did Lewis look almost… guilty?
What exactly am I stepping into?
Every sound echoed strangely.
Sometimes it felt like someone else’s footsteps followed mine — just half a second delayed.
Too light to be a slime.
Too quick to be a crab.
Too deliberate.
Level 15 arrived around 3:30 PM. The torches grew sparse. Shadows pooled in corners like ink.
At Level 16, I heard something.
A faint metallic tapping, rhythmic and precise.
Too articulate to be random falling stone.
It stopped the moment I turned.
Grubs crawled in thick clusters on Level 17, their bodies slick and trembling. I smashed them frantically, knowing what they became if I hesitated.
As the chittering built into a frenzy, my thoughts spun with it:
Lewis wanted a Red Mushroom.
The Wizard wanted silence.
The Junimos moved when I wasn’t looking.
Who exactly was I supposed to trust?
At one point, I came to a dead halt.
Something breathed — shallow, rapid — from a tunnel behind me.
When I whipped around, nothing was there.
Just the clink of settling pebbles.
But the hairs on my neck stayed upright.
The Rock Crabs dropped Cherry Bombs. I pocketed them with shaking hands.
The entire floor bent inward, a spiraling corridor that pulled me in circles until I lost my orientation.
My head throbbed.
My pulse skittered.
The mines hummed — low and metallic, almost like a voice beneath stone.
And every time I turned, I swore I saw something small move in the dark.
Not a slime.
Not a bug.
Something that watched.
Maybe the Wizard wasn’t warning me about monsters.
Maybe it was something else entirely.
The walls wavered. For a moment, I saw Lewis’s disappointed look superimposed over the rocks. Then my grandfather’s handwriting. Then the Junimo runes shifting like eyes.
I sucked in a breath.
Kept moving.
Kept swinging.
When the grubs burst into flies, my panic finally snapped free.
I bolted, ducking past wings and claws, eating Algae in desperate bites to keep from collapsing.
A ladder appeared near the center.
Relief.
A way out.
But a chest sat at the spiral’s heart.
And something — instinct, greed, desperation — pushed me toward it.
Inside, a pair of Sneakers, useless.
I tossed them aside.
My heartbeat rattled like a pickaxe against tin.
When I finally found the exit…
Cold air.
A chest.
A faint glint.
I opened it.
Steel Smallsword.
Clean. Balanced.
Light in my hands.
Power thrummed through the grip, and for a second the dread evaporated.
Finally — a weapon that matched the mines’ cruelty.
Finally, something that felt like control.
But as I stepped back toward the elevator, I felt it again.
Something watching.
From the walls.
From the cracks.
From the dark places torches didn’t reach.
The tapping resumed — two sharp metallic beats — then silence.
Not hostile.
Just… curious.
I shivered.
Whatever else lived down here…
It knew I was here now.
And it wasn’t going to ignore me again.
The time read 12:50 AM.
I sprinted.
The elevator clanged shut behind me, and I tore out of the mine, half-running down the mountain until my lungs burned.
I stumbled into my cabin, boots still on, and collapsed face-first into bed.
The last thing I felt before sleep swallowed me was the ghost of that tapping echoing behind my ribs.
Slimeglasses
Local Legend
super love how you integrate the original dialogue with your own!
Slimeglasses
Local Legend
wow you've gotten pretty far! I'll have to watch this thread so i can come back and read it when I'm not about to go to bed. (because when I start I can't stop until the book is over so ill be up awhile XD)