[And trap indeed - in every normal sense, it looked like nothing changed, but the atmosphere for those sensitive to the kind of thing felt oppressive.

Then a sparrow flew in - the bird was instantly sliced in half, a dribble of blood suspended in mid air before it's absorbed and vanished, leaving only the bisected bird as evidence of something being there]

...wires - webbing? It seems like you're not the only spinner here, 'Spider'.