Annihilation begins with a description of the “tower,” a structure that “was not supposed to be there” and “plunge[d] into the earth in a place just before the black pine forest begins to give way to swamp” (3). There are four members of the expedition into the abandoned territory known as Area X, in which the tower is found. All four are women. They are “a biologist, an anthropologist, a surveyor, and a psychologist” (3). The first-person narrator is the biologist. The leader of the expedition is the psychologist. Their mission is “to continue the government’s investigation into the mysteries of Area X, slowly working our

way out from base camp” (4).

After reaching the base camp, they replace old and broken equipment. In the environment surrounding the base camp, there are several species of animals, such as bears, coyotes, and snakes, as well as signs of human habitation, such as rotting cabins and livestock enclosures. The members of the expedition can hear a moaning sound in the distance. They find the tower on the fourth day. The tower is not on any of the maps or documents they have with them.