Read the following excerpt from a fictional narrative:

As the storm clouds gathered above, the small town felt the weight of doom pressing down, like a leaden blanket suffocating the last breaths of summer. The wind howled through the streets, an unchained beast seeking to tear apart everything in its path. It was a night where shadows danced, casting eerie figures on the walls of dilapidated houses, whispering secrets of the past that were best left forgotten.

In this tumultuous environment, the protagonist, Clara, stood at her window, a mere observer in a world spiraling into chaos. She thought of her father, whose laughter once echoed here like a distant melody, now only a haunting silence filled the space where hope once resided.

Identify the metaphor used in this passage that illustrates Clara’s emotional state.