I liked this story. I didn't reduce me to tears like some of escape pod has... but I enjoyed it greatly and will be keeping it to listen to it again.
It was the classic end of the world story where a teacher meets someone who is only just surviving and tells them how to live, not just survive. And I like to think that through this machine the human race carried on. Not just biologically; our humanity itself survived due to this machine we created to kill. Though what was potentially one of the causes of our own destruction, we are given a second chance.
I'd like to see what happened in 50 years in this universe. Though I know that would spoil the story... as then we know what happened next... but I can dream.
In a personal note, I'd like to say how much I appreciate what escape pod does every week ( and with the Hugos and such yearly). This week there was a deathin the family, and living on my own and other factors (people worrying about me in general and such), I didn't find out for 4 days. I was hit pretty hard by it as I felt blindsided by it; the funeral is tomorrow. When something like this happens you feel like there is nothing else out there, and that this is it. It makes us think life could end anytime, and there may not be a tomorrow.
Then at work yesterday, while on my lunch break, my playlist moves on, advert and I hear the intro music play. I smile a little thinking that I don't know if I'm in the mood for a sci fi story fight now, but I'd give it a chance. Then you said it was a Hugo, and I realised things go on. I enjoyed the story, and the escapeism is gave me. For a while I'm taken to the end of the world with a robot teaching a human, and I enjoyed it. For a while I smiled. Thank you.