137. Blog-o-sphere: Visit your favorite blog or your feedreader and craft a story, journal entry, or poem based on the latest blog post you read.

victorianparis.wordpress.com

It was usually over a man, but not this time.

At twenty-years-old, Louise Henin was beautiful. Perhaps there were other words to describes her form of attraction, but beautiful covered everything. Men found her alluring; women found her repulsive. In the streets of Paris, Louise was a sort of princess, elevated by her beauty. She transcended mere humans, in her mind. She definitely held a higher status than Andrée Merle.

Just the thought of that woman made Louise turn a hot shade of red. She hated when her skin became blotchy, but Andrée always inspired Louise to anger, and Louise reacted by flushing.

It was not even something definite: but it was a multitude of hidden insults, veiled under thin guises of concern and friendliness.

Both women were Apaches -- they belonged to the gangs of Paris. Andrée was three years Louise's senior, and she thought her three extra years on earth had afforded her a bountiful storehouse of wisdom, knowledge, and prestige. The one thing Andrée lacked was the pleasing aesthetics that won her rival such acclaim.

One day, they climaxed. Andrée implied that Louise's earthy beauty fortold her future career in prostitution. Louise considered  this offense inconceivable, and challenged Andrée to a duel, which the latter accepted.

The Apache men were encouraging of it, and turned up to watch the women fight.

Louise and Andrée were ladies, though, and both agreed that their duel should befit them as such. Common items such as guns and knives were discarded. The two feuding ladies sought the unusual...

Both procured a single sock, and filled it with sand. They then met in the streets with their weapons and proceeded to bludgeon each other. With each blow of the sand sock, it became apparent just how effective this unusual device was in causing harm.

Then Andrée Merle lifted her sock high and brought it down with such force upon her opponent's head that Louise Henin collapsed, severely injured. Perhaps it was her beauty that so inspired the men to break up the fight, for they had been wildly cheering on the contenders a moment before, but the Apaches rushed Louise to the Hotel-Dieu hospital.

As for Andrée, she melted inconspicuously into the crowd...