Rita slowly climbed the stairs. The wood beneath her feet creaked like an ancient door on rusty hinges. She thought she heard something and froze in her tracks. Her heart was a speeding train. Hearing nothing more, she continued walking. She wished she could see better. She was surrounded by blackness darker than deep space.

Which option best describes the role of the hyperbole in the passage?
A. To convey a sense of how high the steps are
B. To convey a sense of what might be upstairs
C. To convey a sense of how tense Rita is
D. To convery a sense of how little Rita can see