yes, that explains the ”messy” outcome of the story. Now that you mentioned it, there indeed were more some things that felt like loose ends, which is explained by the lack of time. Like when tou first checked the books in the shelf, it says you dont recall what the book is about, but after phone call, checking again, it tells about the book. I remember thinking that something happened on the phone, like maybe that phone brought light to hus life and hence he remembered.
And regarding the checking the books again, just in case. Only recalled after reading your teply, but part of the problem was that there was this paper letter inside the desk of the phonetable.
When it said on the phone to read the note, i thought it meant that paper there. Hence I wasnt looking for a note anymore, nut I was simply looking how to continue the game next, without any clue what I should ve doing next. That is why I went to check both the painti g and books again, since there werent any other things to interact with around.
Had I realised I was looking for a note (which I did realise, thanks to when rechecking those books, it mentioning about not finding a note, and even then I wasnt sure if it was actually just referring to the phobetable note), then I migh had intentionally went specifically to check tge books. Now I went to them simply, because at least they were interactivable items, without any idea if they would help anything, and why.
after your explanation, it indeed felt like there was some great stuff brewing there, but due to lack of time, they didnt get ready yet.
I think this could have been the winning entry, had you had more time to flesh out those missing story parts and get it all cohesive, since even now it felt basically great, but just very confusing, and like missing things.
Was waiting to get more info regarding tgat painting, and about the caller, etc. But there never came more.
And yeah, especially about the overcoming of apathy that was mentioned in way that it seemed like one of the main themes. Was waiting fir something that someone suffering from apathy could grt some help, or some insight ibto apathy that someone who is not suffering from it, could have better understanding of it.