What the verbs fit, set, and read have in common is that they keep the same form no matter what tense is used.
You can say - I read a book every day. Or Those pants fit you nicely. Or I set the table often.
And if you want to say all that in the past tense, it would look the same:
I read a book yesterday. Those pants fit him nicely a long time ago. I set the table two days ago.
The mood is very powerful, it has a dark atmosphere, on a cloudy day, near a scary lake. The description of the house is detailed as a terrifying place.
The narrator seems to be disconcerted. He had a different memory of his old friend. He is not able to express literally how the whole situation makes him feel.
