In "Station Eleven," Emily St. John Mandel depicts a catastrophic flu outbreak that devastates the world, likening its effect to a neutron bomb. This pandemic leads to a sudden and overwhelming collapse of society, leaving people in a state of confusion and desperation as they try to navigate a changed reality. During the initial years of the crisis, individuals traveled in search of safety, not realizing that life as they knew it had irrevocably altered.

As the realization sets in that there are no safe havens, survivors begin to cluster together in abandoned places like truck stops and motels. This shift reflects a collective need for security amidst the chaos, as communities form in unexpected locations. The narrative captures the profound impact of the disaster on human connections and the struggle to adapt to a new way of life in a post-apocalyptic world.