How does Eliot Wigginton use imagery in Foxfire 9?

Imagery:

"On his way, this panther was laying on the fence on the side of the road and it jumped at him. I don't remember if he had a dog with him or what, but anyway he got away from it. Then he saw his wife. The panther was guarding her. It had killed her and had tore into her and ate the baby. My mother said that was true. Said all they found of the baby was one little hand and it was just mature enough to tell it was a hand. That panther was guarding the woman's body because when it got hungry again, it'd eat her."