wikiHow Editing Fellow interview questions

There were two practice tests prior to being invited to interview, including one which was paid. I felt the interview went well, and I felt I had a good chance at getting the position. They asked typical questions - what are your strong suits, what was a time you dealt with a stressful situation at work, etc. At the end of the interview they asked me about pay, and I expressed that I was interested in being paid $20, the dead middle of the $18-22 pay scale they'd advertised. (I'm almost 40 and live in an expensive West Coast city, so I didn't think it was an unreasonable ask.) I will say that after that I sensed a distinct chill in the air. I received an email from them nearly a week days after the time period in which they said they'd get back to me saying that they'd decided to "halt the hiring process for this role."