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List of image references (in order of appearance):

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List of image references (in order of appearance):

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https://aintfoundagoodtitleblog.com/2018/05/14/aldi-bremer-shepherds-pie-food-review/

https://www.areteethbones.com

http://biomodderfied.weebly.com

http://3.bp.blogspot.com

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-2ab-B53I5WI/U3D2JheQKsI/AAAAAAAAAAg/euZPDYdzzqk/s1600/diagram-of-esophagus.jpg

https://www.overdriveonline.com

https://st2.depositphotos.com/2852841/6509/v/950/depositphotos_65093091-stock-illustration-structure-of-villi-and-microvilli.jpg

http://www.apsubiology.org

https://www.holistic-wellness-basics.com

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*This assignment was in no way endorsed or sponsored by Bremer Frozen Foods.*

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The group found themselves in a damp, cold, dark and smelly pit. Although they had undergone several severe changes through the process, spirits remained high. Here they lived and became acquainted with the other inhabitants for several months.

Later on in the year, farmer Brown thought it time to replace his outhouse with a permanent indoor washroom (after years of nagging from the Mrs. Brown). Being left with an ample supply of manure, he thought it would be best for it to be put to good use. Upon his fields it went, nourishing the crops above...

Up Sheryl awoke one happy August morning. The sun was shining and the birds were singing. There was a slight nip in the air from the frost of the night previous, but all in all, it was a joyful day. There she stood. Regal and majestic. The highest stalk of corn in the field by what she could see (and that's no small feat). Sheryl was happy. She had found the peace which she had so long desired.

She wasn't even looking when, SNATCH! It came from behind! Round and round spun the harvester, transferring Sheryl to a large holding bin on the back of the tractor. This was later emptied into a crate and shipped off to Bremer Frozen Foods. After all, they use only the finest ingredients in their world famous shepherd's pies.

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Upon completion of fluid absorption in the large intestine, the feces is ready to be removed from the body. The feces is expelled through the rectum (which stores and compacts it) and out the anus (another sphincter muscle which allows free flow upon relaxation).

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There it was! standing up against them in all it's glory! The gate! The exit! The way out! The group, with all the strength they could muster, fought with Perry Stalsis. They brawled and rolled, finally wrenching themselves free of her tyrannical hold on them! Out they flew! Perry lay, defeated. They were beyond her power now. Freedom at long last... but at such a cost...

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Remaining food exits the body.

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After the small intestine comes the large intestine. Inside, fluids are absorbed and sent back to the rest of the body. Helpful bacteria live inside the large intestine (or colon) which synthesize the important vitamins B and K. Feces is formed and readied for expulsion.

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Nutrients now broken down are absorbed by the body

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Finally! At last! Up ahead the group saw it! The end was in sight! The tunnel they were travelling through became larger, and the dampness seemed to drain away. Hope was regained, yet Perry Stalsis was still escorting them. She wasn't quite done with them yet...

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Enter the small intestine from the stomach through the pyloric sphincter. Once through, this first part of the small intestine is called the duodenum. The duodenum is where the majority of the chemical digestion in the digestive system occurs, along with aid from the accessory organs (i.e. The liver, the pancreas and the gall bladder). The liver works to produce bile (or bile salts) which are then stored and concentrated in the gall bladder. This bile is secreted into the duodenum and emulsifies lipids. Cholecystokinin released from the duodenum stimulates the pancreas to release pancreatic juices which contain pancreatic amylase, lipase, trypsin, pancreatic nuclease, water and bicarbonate. All these chemical juices help by breaking down starch, lipids and proteins. Secretin from the duodenum sends signals to the liver to produce more bile and the pancreas to release more digestive enzymes. Specifically bicarbonate ions which are necessary to raise the pH level to about 9 which helps the following chemical processes take place:

Enterokinase is released from the cells of the duodenum and helps convert tyrpsinogen to trypsin, which breaks down proteins. Erepsin further breaks down these proteins to individual amino acids.
The lipase released from your pancreas breaks down lipids.

After the duodenum comes the jejunum. Inside this middle section of the small intestine, surface area is increased by microvilli which absorb the nutrients which were broken down in the duodenum.

Finally is the ileum which is the ending section of the small intestine. Bile acids and vitamin B12 are absorbed before the small intestine connects with the large.

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Onward they marched till up ahead they saw a large gate marked, "Exit to harvesting labyrinth". Though even the name itself drove Sheryl to darkest fear, she could do little to resist as her strength had already been failing as they were kept in the holding area. The gate was opened and in the were shoved by Perry Stalsis. Thus began their long, painful journey, throughout which, Perry stood by, merely observing their pain and anguish as slowly, little by little, the group was reducing in mass. At one point, Sheryl felt an itch on her nose, and reached up to scratch it. She then realized that both her hand and her nose had already dissolved into the fluid they were moving along in. Then she remembered that she was a slice of shepherd's pie, and didn't have limbs and appendages to begin with.

"My mind is certainly failing me" She thought. "I'm not sure I can retain consciousness much longer"

Through all of it, there was some glimmer of hope. Something which kept their spirits alive. Whispers seemed to run through their minds about a place they were to come to after their troubles were over. Though none of them remembered hearing these stirrings as they travelled along, but simply felt as though it was a hope and a faith which had always been inside them, but was just revealing itself now, in the darkest of times.

They continued weaving through the maze, until they came to the next gate up ahead.

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The stomach is a large sac where food is stored and broken down before being carried along to the small intestine. Once inside the stomach, the bolus is converted to chyme through more mechanical and chemical digestion and is also the first occurrence of proteins breaking down. The stomach secretes a hormone called gastrin which sends a signal to release more gastric juice. It also stimulates the parietal glands to secrete hydrochloric acid which create an optimal pH of 2-3. This stimulates the chief cells to release pepsinogen and be converted to pepsin.  Pepsin is an enzyme which helps digest proteins. Meanwhile, the goblet cells release mucus to protect the stomach and help with lubrication.

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Chapter five: The plot thickens... so does the chyme. 

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Chapter five: The plot thickens... so does the chyme. 

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On the other side of the gate, Sheryl was forced up to a guard on duty. She was inspected and then thrown down into a pit where she met other weary adventure seekers. Before all this, she had a chance to talk with Perry.

"But why? What do you want from me?"  Sheryl pleaded.

"Oh, stop being so ignorant. Did it not strike you as a little odd that no one you talked to had ever been on this tour? No one who ever joins us for our discount cave explorations ever returns to their friends. Logic, child"

"But those peas! They recommended you to me!"

"Of course! And in return, I keep them from being abducted. Yes, poor soul. Sooner or later, you were all on track to be taken down here. Here, to the heart of the ever booming nutrient slave trade!
Those peas advertise for me, and because I'm such a very generous person, I push them back up that tunnel every time they are brought down here. You see, you all end up down here, whether you want it or not. And I've got a quota to fill! Seeing as how you're all scheduled to make it here at some point anyway, I direct traffic towards myself. After all, the more assets I retrieve, the more money in my pocket! Ha! And boy did you take the bait! Caring friends? As if!"

Sheryl was left there, lonely with the other victims. She noticed that she was sitting in a puddle of some kind, but seeing as there was so much going on already, she took little notice. It was then that she was in for the biggest shock yet.

"Sherry! Shawn! What on earth are you doing here?"

Sheryl had found her siblings, and in quite shabby shape. Their perfectly balanced layers of meat, veggies, cheese and potatoes were virtually indistinguishable, as they lay there, almost motionless. They told her in the strongest voices they could muster that this was the first stop on a long journey they were to take. And from the looks of it, it appeared quite painful. This here was a holding den in a large machine which converted all their bodily components into individual pieces to send off and away to grow and repair the mechanical monstrosity. Sheryl was scared, but didn't have much time to brood on her fear, for at that moment, Perry Stalsis cracked her whip, and forward they moved.

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Food is broken down chemically and physically.

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The bolus is transported through the pharynx and down the esophagus (the tube which connects the stomach to the mouth) by peristalsis. Along it's way down, it passes the epiglottis, a small flap which separates the esophagus from the trachea. Mucus is secreted as the food travels down to help with lubrication so it slides easily. At the bottom of the esophagus is located the esophageal (or cardiac) sphincter, which acts as a gate to the stomach. When contracted, the contents of the stomach are kept inside. When relaxed, the food is free to travel into the stomach for further digestion. Circumstances where the esophageal sphincter allows liquid chyme (stomach juices) back up the esophagus would include vomiting and heartburn.

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"Well hello there!"

"Gasp!" Said Sheryl, as a voice came forth through the dark.
A light was struck, and there she saw not only Perry, but also herself, in a new and changed form.

"Hello again! As you can see, you've gone through some changes. Through your passage into to these caves, you've been turned into a bolus boat! The perfect vehicle for traversing the dangerous adventures which await us!"

After a brief discussion in which the perturbed Sheryl voiced her concern over her bodily changes, Perry assured her that it was all part of the original package deal, and all was going as planned. Then ensued a quick lecture about reading fine print, and finally, the adventure really began!

Perry Stalsis moved Sheryl in her bolus boat down, down and down, into the long descending tunnel. The boat glided smoothly through, as the walls of the tunnel seemed to be covered in a thick, mucus coating. Then, Perry yelled "Halt!"

"What?" Sheryl asked. "What's that up ahead?"

Up ahead was a large gate, fashioned only for one-way travellers. Above which read a sign saying, "All traders, dismount for inspections"

"Inspections?" Sheryl cried. "Traders? I was led to believe it was deserted down here! What is with all this civilization? What traders? Who's trading? Who's being traded? What is the meaning of this? I demand to go back up at once!"

Perry replied,
"Sorry honey, Perry Stalsis is a one way tour guide."

Sheryl was bound and tied, and through she went. In through the gate they exited the tunnel, and what she found on the other side...

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The mouth is the first stop on our figurative digestion train. Here, food begins to be broken down both chemically and physically. Enzymes are released through saliva made in the salivary glands while the teeth chop away, breaking the food into more manageable sizes for digestion. This saliva is made of water, mucus, lysozyme, and amylase which helps break down polysaccharides into disaccharides through a hydrolysis reaction.
The tongue forms the food into a bolus (ball) and pushes it down past the pharynx to the esophagus. There is a pH level of 7 present.

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Sheryl awoke suddenly from her nap. Was it time? She scanned the refrigerator and all others seemed to be asleep or engaged in some quiet conversation. She wasn't even looking when SNATCH! It came from behind, in the blink of a pie!... No... I meant "eye".
And out, out, out she came, into the glorious light of the evening sun! Her pies... (no, eyes) squinted, and so stunned was she that she could barely see or understand what was going on. She briefly remembered being placed on a large, cold white dish, and then, the next thing she knew, around she spun. Over and over, getting warmer and warmer as she felt her cold, hardened layers melt and fuse. It was a wonderful feeling.

"This must be the pickup and transportation that Perry spoke of" she thought to herself. "My, my, my, it certainly is a nice way to start the trip."

She remembered Perry mentioning that she would meet her at the opening of the Esophogu....

"Hmm... I can't remember the name of that tunnel. Perhaps my transport knows. He seems nice enough"

She attempted a quick conversation with her ride to lighten the mood, but he, being only the highest quality German china plate, (knowing two more languages than most plates), didn't have the right words in his limited Shepherd's pianese vocabulary to help her out. Then suddenly, KERPLUNK! In she was tossed, (by a very handsome piece of silverware, she thought to herself) to a dark, damp and smelly cavern who's very floor itself seemed unsteady. Up and down she bounced, breaking apart as she crashed against the sharp rock-like structures which lined it's roof and base.

"Well, if this isn't the most nasty way to treat a new-comer. Perry never told me anything about this... I wonder if I've rendezvoused at the wrong spot."

When all was said and done, up and back Sheryl was pushed, down into a dark tunnel. Then all lights went out...

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Food enters the digestive system.

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Part one. Story and character introductions and backgrounds. 

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Part one. Story and character introductions and backgrounds. 

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Peristalsis is the involuntary motion of smooth muscles inside digestive canals which move in a wave-like motion, forcing food and nutrients through the digestive system.

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Thanks to the advice of some french peas (the most cultured of the refrigerator populous), Sheryl was directed to a tour company which offered guided cave explorations to a number of exotic sites (and at the lowest of prices). Sheryl arrived at the head office of "Stalsis Guided Tours", and was greeted right away by someone walking towards her.

"Stalsis's the name. Perry Stalsis. Glad to make your acquaintance!" She said

Sheryl proceeded to explain the situation and asked for some recommendations as to the best caves in the area. She was surprised when, upon looking at her bookings, Perry said,

"Bremer, is it? Well, it looks like you're already signed up for a tour of the Homosapienia caves. You're scheduled for pickup this evening"

" Yes ma'am. Sheryl Bremer. I come from a long line of only the finest microwaveable shepherd's pies. But how could this be? I only heard about your tour company this afternoon"

"I wouldn't be surprised if one of your friends is responsible. They, possibly seeing your stress from these recent events, decided to book you a vacation. Shows a true loving spirit!"

Sheryl felt inside that something was amiss, but she went along with it. "After all", she thought, "Shepherd's pies aren't made for their thinking abilities."

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Shepherd's pie was chosen as the main protagonist because it contains all of the specified organic compounds: Carbohydrates (which can be found in the potatoes), lipids (in the cheese), and proteins (from the ground beef).

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The fridge was tense. Rumours had been circulating, and Sheryl the succulant slice of shepherd's pie was beginning to feel nervous. It wasn't even a day ago that the first of the disappearances had begun to take place. First, Felicia Green, the celery stalk from a few floors down in the crisper drawer. She was the quiet type. Not too fond of talking. Still, it didn't take long for her absence to be noticed. Sheryl might have felt relatively safe up until that point had it not been for the abduction of her very own siblings just this morning! Up she awoke to find her microwavable pan bereft of two whole slices!
Dark stories had been told to her, even as far back as she could remember. Oh, those good ol' days, just whiling away the time in the frozen food aisle at Jack's grocery. This was all before she came to her current home: first, a freezer in some musty old basement, but, as of last week, she had taken up residence in a mighty stainless steel fridge, shiny and new.  It was then that the tension began to rise. Stories were bouncing back between the heads of lettuce that something dark was upon them. The others were quick to shut them down. All except a few cobs of corn who were always happy to lend an ear. It was times like these were the fair and noble residents of the fridge took up their questions with sage, old, and wise Zesty Italiano, the salad dressing living upon the highest shelf of the fridge door. There he had lived, solemn and quiet, simply observing and watching from above all the goings on down below. It was he who confirmed their worst fears. No one whom he had ever seen enter this fridge stayed long. He had lived there some six months (and long past his expiration date, giving him a slightly crusty edge) and had been witness to the kidnapping of many a fair citizen. Sheryl had had enough of it! She needed a holiday.

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Story section:            |          Just the facts:
|
Here, we will follow  |   On this side, just the
along with the story |   straight facts will be given,
of Sheryl the              |   along with pictures and
shepherd's pie as     |   detailed explanations as
she explores the       |   we go along.
deadly caves of
Homosapienia.

Let's dive right in!