Country Cooking The bathroom door was ajar, and open about an inch when I walked by. Of course I glanced in, who wouldn't? After all, I was in a house filled with strange woman. Not strange like weird and crazy or anything, well, maybe one or two, but strange, as in strangers. I didn't know a single one of them, and maybe it would have been best if I had left it that way. I was enrolled in the local college, pursuing my career in Criminal Justice. I was headed back to school just after Thanksgiving break, when my car broke down. I was on a long desolate country road, and it was icy cold, and the snow had just begun to fall. Staying the night in the car was not an option. I had no way of keeping myself warm. My only hope was to walk, and maybe get lucky enough to find a house, or maybe a car would come by and give me a ride into the next town. I walked about four miles. This was the first house I came to. I knocked on the door. The house was dark, save for a lone light in one window on the second floor. It was almost two am, and I was cold and tired. I knocked again, and this time a bit harder. A light on the first floor came on. Then the porch light. Who's there, asked the woman? My name is Bill, My car car broke down a few miles back and , well, I'm gonna freeze to death if you don't let me in. She was silent for a minute, and then I heard the deadbolt click, and slide open. The knob turned, and the old wooden door inched it's way slowly inward. She stood with her face close to the small opening in the doorway. She looked at me long and hard. I had no coat, and was wearing only a flannel shirt, jeans, and sneakers. Not quite ready for winter she asked? No I said. It was much warmer three weeks ago when I went on break, and I guess I wasn't thinking ahead. My winter stuff is all back in my dorm room. Dorm room? She said inquisitively, with an amusing grin on her face. You go to school around here? Well it's still another forty miles from here, I said. I didn't expect to breakdown. Well we can't leave you to freeze out here now can we she said. She opened the door all the way and told me to come on in. There is one spare room you can use she told me. It is on the third floor, next to the bathroom, halfway down the hall on the left. Thank you so much I said, but it would be great if I could just use your phone, and call for a tow truck. Our phone has been broken for almost a year now she said. We never used it anyway, so we saw no need in getting it fixed. You'll have to spend the night. Very well I said, thank you for your hospitality. Third floor? I asked? Yes, halfway down the hall on your left, next to the bathroom she repeated. You will find everything you need in there. Also, she continued, the bathroom is communal. Every one on your floor uses it, so please be courteous and keep it neat and clean, and knock before entering. Thank you, I will I replied. I said goodnight and made my way up the circular staircase. The house appeared very old and the stairs creaked loudly with each step I took. Finally I reached the third floor. The steps continued up one more level. The place was huge. An old country mansion, lost in time, on an old county dirt road in the middle of nowhere. I wandered down the hallway passing room after room. I counted sixteen rooms before I reached the bathroom. All the doors were closed, except the one next to the bathroom. I assumed that was the one I was to use. I counted just about as many on the far side of the hall. I entered my room and closed the door. There was a double bed in the center of the room, one small night table, and one dresser. There was a rather large walk in closet, that went behind the bathroom. It was full of men's clothes. All different sizes and styles. Shoes, boots, and sneakers, lined the floor under the hanging clothes. It seemed enough to clothe a small army. I stripped down to my underwear, and crawled into the bed and under the covers. I fell asleep in seconds. The sun was warm on my face, and it's bright rays massaging my tired eyes forcing me awake. I got up and closed the curtain on the window and got back in the bed. I tried to go back to sleep, but I could hear the house was bustling with activity. I could hear the shower and the toilet constantly running and flushing. It seemed to never end. I guessed that's why this room was unoccupied, I thought to myself. I heard singing and talking, and music playing welcoming the new day. I caught the feint smell of fresh coffee brewing, and the smell of some odd kind of meat cooking. I was now awake and hungry. I put my jeans and flannel shirt on, and slid my feet into my sneakers. I had to pee. I opened the door and went into the hallway. I was greeted by two girls. Good morning sir they said. Hello, I replied, how are you? We are fine, they said at the same time and giggled. Another girl was coming out of her room. Hello I said. Welcome sir, it is wonderful to meet you, I hope you enjoy your stay. Thank you I said, but I'll be leaving in just a little while. I raised my hand to knock on the bathroom door, and just as I went to knock, it opened from the inside. It was yet another female. We exchanged hello's, and I went in, and closed the door. The bathroom was scented with nothing but female smells. Shampoo's and soaps, perfumes and deodorants. There were brushes and combs and at least three hair dryers. Little makeup kits covered the shelf behind the toilet. I lifted the seat and was careful not to dribble. Other than the grooming utensils and whatnot laying around, the bathroom was immaculate. I zipped up and flushed, and headed down stairs, drawn to the wonderful smell of coffee and food, hoping they would offer me some before I left. I hoped too, that they had a car, and could give me a ride to town, or to a phone I could call a wrecker to get my car. When I reached the second landing, I looked down the long hall. It too, was filled with woman. Girls, girls, and more girls. I had not seen or heard another male other than myself. I began to wonder what kind of place it was, that am I in. I continued down to the first floor, where I had come in the night before. The smell of food was wafting up the stairs, flooding my senses, and making me even more hungry then I really was. As I walked past the front door toward the kitchen, I noticed there were not one, but five big black iron deadbolts locking the door. There were tiny locks on each one of them, that had to be unlocked, before you could slide the bolt open. Food, food, food. The smell was intoxicating. I inhaled it with each breath I took, deeper and deeper. I was mesmerized by the smell. I came to the kitchen. It was huge. There were commercial type stoves and ovens, walk in freezers, three giant refrigerators, a commercial dishwasher, and every kind of cookware, and utensil imaginable. Girls were working hard on preparing a feast for breakfast. There was a joy in the kitchen, and in the house among the woman, like I have never seen before. There was no arguing or infighting. They were all beaming with happiness. I could see breakfast was almost ready, and I turned toward the dining room. I poked my head in the door. It was stunning. The walls were made of old mahogany. A big wooden table, completely set, centered the room, with a crystal chandelier hanging over it. There was a big fireplace on the main wall. It was made with stones, they looked like river rocks, and the mantle was magnificent. It was solid wood about ten inches thick, and had many figurines hand carved into it. I was admiring the woodwork, when I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned to see that it was the woman who let me stay. Good morning Bill, she said. Good morning I replied. I didn't use her name, because stupid me, never thought to ask it last night. I was just so happy to be out of the cold. I am Hannabelle, she said smiling, Hannabelle Ekture. You can call me Hanna. I bet you are wondering about our little place here. I didn't say it, but yes, I was wandering a lot. Where were the men? This huge house in the middle of no mans land, is full of woman. Oh I said, it is beautiful here. Indeed said Hana, We are a cooking school for woman. Most of our girls are from abusive marriages and relationships. They now live with me. I teach them how to prepare the best foods from scratch. They even learn to kill and butcher everything they eat. Self sufficiency is our motto. Breakfast is ready she said, would you care to join us. I was now hungrier than ever. It was that smell. Yes I said, it is so nice of you to offer. The girls just love it when they have a man around to show him just how capable theytruly are. Suddenly, the door to the kitchen opened, and girl after girl entered, each carrying her own unique specialty dish. They set them on the table one by one, and as they did, each girl in turn, circled the table, and stood before her seat. You will sit here next to me said Hanna. Hanna clapped her hands together once gently, and everyone sat down. The chatter began. Taste mine sir, no mine said another, please mine, mine, said still another girl. Okay, enough of that girls said Hanna, I'm sure Bill will want to try each and every one of your goodies. Yes I said smiling, yes I would. I tried a bit of each dish, they were all sublime. It was the best food I have ever eaten. When breakfast was over, the girls diligently cleared the table, and in minutes it was clean and set for the next meal. I was amazed at how well disciplined everyone was. About my car Hanna, I said, might you, or one of the girls have a car, that I could get a ride to the next town, or maybe just a phone somewhere? I'm sorry, no we don't she answered. Once again, we have found we don't need one here. We grow our own food and store everything we need. I am a bit confused I said, how did the girls all get here? Their husband's and boy friends drove them of course, she said. Oh I see, I said still confused. What about an emergency I asked? We handle everything right here at the house she said. That is self sufficiency. Oh I see I said. I will have some of the girls stand by the road, in the slim chance a car comes by. After all, what man won't stop and help a pretty girl. I supposed she was right. I myself, was taken in by all the woman around me. Not to sound like a pig, but it was a virtual smorgasbord, for college guy like myself. It might take a day or two she said, but someone always comes by and stops. You are welcome to walk, or stay and wait. Your choice she said. I thought about my situation, maybe I could get a little lucky while I'm here I thought. I'll stick it out I bellowed, I love your place. It will be nice to relax here with you and the girls while I wait. I figured as much, she said smiling , and then she winked at me. Feel free to look around and make yourself at home. I will, thank you I said. I went up stairs to my room. When I was passing the bathroom, I noticed the door was ajar, and I could see inside. One of the girls was changing her clothes. I stopped and quietly watched. Man what a story I'll have to tell when I get back to school. Suddenly, she looked in my direction, and saw me watching. Our eyes met. I went to turn away and go to my room, when she smiled, and with her index finger curling back and forth, taunted me to come in. I swallowed hard and entered. My stomach had butterflies and my face was flush. See anything you like she asked. Yes I said, you are beautiful. We are all beautiful she said. She let her clothes fall to the floor, and grabbed me tight. Laying on my bed, not able to nap, I couldn't help but relive that moment over and over. The house was full of girls. No other men, just me. This could be heaven I thought. Just then, I heard something in my closet move. I got up and opened the door. Another girl was in there hiding. What are you doing in there I asked. Oh just looking. Looking at what I persisted. My boyfriends old clothes she answered. I looked at he bewildered. What do you mean I asked. She replied, when I first came to the school with my boyfriend, he would hide in this closet and watch the girls in the bathroom. Then I would come in here to his room, and we would make love. He only stayed for a couple days, and then he was gone. All the girls loved him. They said he was delicious. I saw in the wall a small peephole. Most men like to watch us she said. I was aroused again, and things began to take their coarse. I couldn't believe that this was happening to me. As she quietly left my room, she asked me please, not to say anything to anyone of our encounter. I won't I promised her. I was not at all tired at this point, and decided to take a good tour of the house. I found my way back down the winding staircase, and into the living room. Girls were everywhere. I went back to the kitchen. This being a school and all, I was intrigued at all the equipment. There was a door off to the right. I opened it and went in. It was the butcher shop. There were big wooden chopping blocks, meat cleavers, meat slicers, and even band saws like in the professional shops. There were meat hangers hanging from the ceiling, and it even had it's own freezer. Unlike the rest of the house, this room was messy. It was covered in blood from the meat. Hanna did say they killed and butchered it themselves. I admired the girls and their self sufficiency. Yea, I admired more than that. Who was I kidding. I'm a pig. Just like every other male of our species. All I ever thought about was sex, and now I have the chance to be the king of the school. I left the butcher room, and walked down a small hall to the back side of the house. I came to a window with metal bars on it, but no door. I looked out the window, and saw a tow truck backing my car into one of two big garages. I could see all kinds of cars in it. After it was inside, the door automatically closed, and two girls came walking out. I had seen them this morning in the kitchen cooking. One of them, had made some kind of breakfast ham, sliced very thin, sandwiched together with Swiss cheese, and wrapped around a soft boiled egg. It was fabulous. I headed back to the main lobby by the front door, to go out and see what was going on with my car, and why Hanna had lied, about not having a car. When I got to the door, all the tiny locks on the deadbolts were locked, and I could not open it. Hanna was sitting just off the lobby in a lounge chair, and behind her were all her girls smiling at me. Their eye's were wild, and in their hands they held knives and cleavers. Hannabelle looked at me again long and hard. Bill, she whispered so sexy like, we are not having lunch today, but, the girls and I are extremely excited about having you for dinner.... The End. No really, the end. ;)