Callahan's Lady (ch 7)

Callahan's Lady (from chapter 7 , pages 121-124)
by Spider Robinson Submitted by WK
Setup: A lady named Diana has come into Lady Sally's House with a device that makes people do whatever she says. Sherry has escaped from her by jumping out the third story window (she told her not to go "down stairs") and has armed herself with two guns and a large coat from the cloak room in reception. As Sherry comes into the parlor to wreak havoc, she sees a sign on which Diana has written, "PLEASE DON'T MOVE". Chapter 7

In retrospect I'm surprised I didn't freeze instantly, and fall on my face. My brain must have been a strict constitutionalist, and decided that that moves least which comes to a safe and smooth stop: I got to complete my stride before turning to stone. I wished I hadn't had theat inspiration about firing off both weapons close to my ears: [so that she could not here Diana] they were going to get mighty heavy by and by.
...

[W]hen someone has asked you not to move, does breathing count? Blinking I could handle, blinking was easy, it would be at least thirty seconds more before my eyes began to hurt, but what about breathing? It was a thorny question: if I stopped, shortly I would pass out, and therefore almost certainly move. On the other hand, since I'd be unconscious at the time, would it really be "I" who moved?

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