How does Charles McCarry use imagery in The Last Supper: A Novel?

Imagery:

"Hubbard saw the envelop fly out of his own hand, spinning. Then it froze in midair, stopped by some mysterious force. Hubbard felt his own body for the last time as it was lifted into the air. The impact ruptured his aorta, and in the fraction of a second of life that remained to him, he believed that he was flying. He descended into a beech forest. There was no pain. Freed from the lifelong weight of his long bones, he flew even more swiftly into the chalky light of the German morning."

"Chest heaving, he tucked his holstered pistol into the waistband of his trousers and put a hand on Christopher's shoulder, moving him to one side. He spat a globule of reddened saliva into the snow and pointed a finger at Darby."