How does Stephen King use imagery in The Long Walk?

Example of Imagery:

"Garraty thought that memories were like a line drawn in the dirt. The further back you went the scruffier and harder to see the line got. Until finally there was nothing but smooth sand and the black hole of nothingness that you came out of. The memories were in a way like the road. Here it was real and hard and tangible. But that early road, that nine in the morning road, was far back and meaningless."