Thanks. (my earlier reply might have been dropped by WXC)
This passage is a relatively easy one for reading out aloud. But it's still hard to read without an example, for me. It's even harder to try to read faest in this case. :-)
As for the spooky feeling that you've been looking for, I don't think it's not your or my fault. It's the author's problem. The story itself is not scary at all.
Thanks for your advice.