The Day the Body Disbanded V: Overachievement

Author notes: Not related to any chapters in this series, past or future.1

*There once was a building that was run by Brain. This particular building owner and manager was a perfectionist, of sorts...nothing less than perfection on what he did would suit him. But, as his tenants found, that perfectionistic ideal would cost him dearly.*2

Brain walked about the building one day, inspecting it and making sure everyone was on task. Heart checked the blood flow and got it to its locations, the Lung Twins checked the air, Spleen cleaned out any infestations and Immunity was on his round-the-clock patrol. Brain smiled...all were on task.3

"I'm so glad everything is going as planned...Now, to get back to my work...," he whispered to himself. Brain made his way back up to his office at the very top of the building. He entered and sat in his comfortable chair, ready to work. He picked up his pen and began to write on a paper.4

*Many hours later...*5

"There! Now, to send it off!" Brain exclaimed happily. He sealed his paper in an envelope and stuck in a vacuum chute on the left wall of his room, content with what he had done. With sigh of boredom, Brain got up and decided to check the building for another round.6

"I hate this job," Liver said with a groan as he helped the Kidney Twins sort trash. The two twins nodded in agreement...the bowels of the building were never pleasant to work with, but it was the best they could do with what Brain offered them.7

"Brain sends too much food to Stomach and Stomach wastes too much. That's why these trash bags get so damn huge," he explained. The smell about their vicinity would have made anyone not use to it ill. Brain came in, pinching his nose and noticing a slight bit of slacking off with the two residents.8

"Is there a problem here, you two?" he asked Liver and the Kidney Twins. They sat down the trash they held and just looked at him.9

"Look around you. *Smell* around you. What's *not* the problem here?!" Liver asked furiously. Brain sighed.10

"I know it's dirty but what can I do? Someone has to do it; it may as well be you guys."11

The Kidney Twins went to either side of Brain and began poking him.12

"Dude...stop giving Stomach so much to cook! We're not eating a good bit of it, and you're overworking us at the same time. Let up a little," they said.13

"No...things must go perfectly; nothing less will do," Brain explained. With that he turned and walked off, ignoring the complaints of his residents.14

*Days later...*15

"Dammit! Not good enough...what I sent wasn't good enough. I'll have to try harder. Much harder," Brain said, looking at the failure before him. He picked up a pen to try again, but the dinner bell rang.16

"...time for food. I'll need more energy, so I'll send Stomach some more."17

*The next day...*18

"*More food?* Now, I know you're kidding, Brain...," Stomach scoffed. But one look into Brain's eyes told him the package of food was hardly a joke. With a bit of concern in his eyes, Stomach peered in the bag.19

"Greasy. Sure you want this?"20

"Yeah...it's all I can find that's quick and easy, and I need energy for what I'm doing."21

"Fine...much as I disagree, fine. I'll work on it."22

Brain worked quietly in his office. He erased and wrote vigorously, trying hard to get it right. His concentration was broken, however, when he heard strong hands pounding at his door.23

"Brain!" Heart yelled in his powerful voice. Brain let out a groan of dissatisfaction. He did not feel like dealing with Heart.24

"Come in...," he ordered. Heart came with fire in his eyes, angry enough to instantly turn water to steam.25

"What is with you?! I saw Stomach cooking all this meat...stuff *I* can't handle!"26

"And...?" Brain asked, annoyed. Heart glared.27

"Without me, blood goes nowhere. No blood, no power," Heart explained, trying to get his point across as calm as possible.28

"No one asked for your two cents, Heart. Just do your job as efficiently as possible."29

Heart growled.30

"Why can't you take care of us? It's all about perfection, but if we aren't taken care of, we can't do a perfect job!"31

"SHUT UP! GET OUT!" Brain yelled, pushing Heart as he stood from his seat. Heart felt his back, checking to see if he was injured. He stood up, looking ready to begin a fight, but instead just turned around and left. Brain plopped back into his seat as the door shut, rubbing his weary head.32

"I've gotta get this done. I have to do the best...," he whispered, tired.33

*Hours later, after dinner...*34

"I sent my work off earlier...I wonder if I got anything?" Brain asked himself as he opened his mail in his office. He saw a letter similar to the last letter he received regarding his work.35

"Yes...this must be the response!" he exclaimed, opening it frantically.36

"Hey, Heart...something feels wrong around here...you feel it, too?" Pancreas knocked on Heart's door, explaining his thoughts through it. Strangely, he heard nothing but a weak beating sound.37

"...Heart...? Is all well, friend?"38

Pancreas opened the door. When he began to see Heart, he smiled, relieved. However, as he opened the door, he realized he never really saw Heart...he saw cardiac tissue (dead tissue, to be precise). It was all strewn about the room. And Heart lie at the far end of the room, much thinner than before and panting for air. He spat out blood.39

"Panc...reas! Why...does...Brain never...listen?" Heart asked, gasping for air. Right before Pancreas could react further, Heart drew his last breath and died.40

"No...," Brain said. The letter in his hand, that white letter of grand design, told him of his failure.41

"This can't be..."42

The residents, led by Pancreas, pounded at Brain's door.43

"Brain! Heart! Heart's dead! Open this damn door!" he yelled. Liver moved past all his friends and with a look of anger in his eyes, kicked the door open. They saw Brain's chair facing his desk.44

"Brain?" Pancreas asked. He turned the chair around. Where the building owner sat was covered in brain fluid and blood. On the desk sat a pen, a letter of rejection, and a piece of paper. Liver picked up the paper and read the smeared brain fluid on it. Brain had obviously written this latest piece in such liquid.45

"Less than perfection."46

Moral: Overachievement can lead some people to do crazy things...47