Things Have Gotten Worse Since We Last Spoke

The novella's atmosphere is so unsettling — was that a conscious choice to reflect the characters' mental states or something else?

I kept wondering how much of their behavior was driven by loneliness versus genuine malice. Has anyone else found themselves sympathizing despite the darkness?

The way the narrative unfolds feels deliberately disorienting — I wonder if this was planned to intensify the emotional impact or evolved naturally.