Read the following excerpt from a fictional narrative:
"As the storm clouds gathered ominously overhead, the villagers hurried through the narrow streets, their faces drawn with apprehension. The wind whipped ferociously, sending debris skittering past on the cobblestones like wayward thoughts. In the distance, the church bell tolled a mournful warning, resonating through the air, drowning out the staccato of raindrops that began to patter against the rooftops."
How does the author’s choice of diction and syntax contribute to the mood of the passage?