(Birdsong can be heard. The Welcome Home theme song instrumental begins to play, warm and slow.)

EDDIE: (Said warmly.) Another day in, another day out… Where does all that time run off to? (He laughs good naturedly to himself.)
Feels like time flies by so fast it could knock my cap off.

EDDIE: But you know we don’t call it quits when the light’s out, don’t we, ol’ girl? Guess we’re too set in our ways to know any better…

EDDIE: But I like to think… It’s just me bein’ a hard worker.

(A soft moment of static, barely audible.)

EDDIE: (Sure of himself, almost angrily so.) …And since when has bein’ a hard worker ever hurt anybody? (PAUSE. Sharper, sterner.) Shoot, you ain’t gettin’ that brighter tomorrow unless ya got yer blood, sweat, and tears in the today…

(PAUSE. Another low burst of static.)

EDDIE: We’re alike, I bet… (The low, metallic thud of the paper cutter blade being lowered can be heard. It continues at regular intervals as he speaks.) I’d never let a li’l wear an’ tear get in my way either… All this business makes ya tougher, if anythin’… Sides… Between you and me, I ain’t ever been the type to lay down and die… (PAUSE. Said softly under breath, with slight exhaustion.) …Cause I still got that brighter tomorrow to get to…

(The static returns. It is now increasingly loud and present, and overtakes the scene.)

EDDIE: (Grimacing in pain.) Good night alive, that damn headache’s back…!

(The static is overlaid with the sound of a heartbeat, and a high-pitched noise as if tuning a radio. Eventually it all fades out at once.)

EDDIE: (Low, disoriented.) …What in Home…

(A long silent. The paper cutter blade creaks as it moves in short bursts. EDDIE grunts and coughs in pain. There is a soft, fabric tearing sound when the blade makes contact with his arm and continues to press. A distant, echoing sound plays when the scene cuts to black. When the visuals return, the Welcome Home theme does as well, so distantly it is almost unrecognizable.)