The apartment house had a communal attic rarely visited by its tenants. the labeled boxes and cast-off furniture offered little intrigue, so few explored its depths. then one rainy afternoon, i ventured there seeking solitude. roaming beyond the beams of the lone ceiling bulb, i spied only cobwebs until i rounded the corner of a hulking armoire. beyond this antique was unrelenting shadow, but i willed myself to advance. then a grim bellow of thunder resounded, sending me to the floor. prostrate on the splintered beams, my hands felt a shaft of cold steel and i could but imagine the evil article i'd encountered. what technique does the author use to build suspense in the excerpt? the word choice darkens the tone. odd characters are introduced. the setting details are intentionally omitted. the outcome of events becomes uncertain.