Harlem Burglars
Two Harlem Burglars act as the main antagonists of The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers, the third chapter of The Lives of Eccentrics series.
Believing that the Collyer brothers have amassed a great fortune within their home in Harlem, these two burglars attempt to break into the house and make off with as much as they can. However, the burglars find themselves thoroughly unprepared for the countless traps placed by the Collyers.
Appearance
The leader among the two is a young man of slim build with short light hair, which he keeps slicked back at all times. When interviewing people involved with the Collyer brothers for information, he wears a half-buttoned dark two-piece suit with a light shirt and pearl necklace underneath. On the day of the burglary, he wears a simple dark long-sleeve shirt with light jeans and black Venetian-style shoes.
The other burglar is much larger than his partner, his face marked by heavy wrinkles and a lack of eyebrows. His dark hair is styled in a crew cut, though a prominent tuft of hair is visible upon the center of his scalp. In public, he wears a dark vest atop a light suit; when burgling the Collyers, he instead wears a darker long-sleeve shirt and a lighter pair of jeans.
Personality
The two burglars act as foils to each other: while the acolyte is gullible and easily overcome by emotion, the leader is more cautious, observant, and determined. As a result, the leader is easily able to convince his partner to act against his better judgement on several occasions. The two burglars seem to share a close relationship, only occasionally and briefly becoming frustrated with each other; the acolyte even refers to his partner as his older brother. However, after his acolyte's death, the leader shows no remorse regarding the incident, focused on his objective above all else.
History
The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
In preparation for their burglary of the Collyer brothers, who are rumored to be hiding a large fortune within their house, the leader among the two burglars conducts a series of interviews to learn more about their targets. Concluding that the two brothers very rarely leave their house, the leader convinces his acolyte to break into the house in the early hours of the morning. After breaking the front door open, the burglars find the entryway barred by a massive array of furniture, which the leader interprets as a barricade against intruders. With all the windows barred and the back door blocked, the burglars decide to try finding a way through the furniture.
The acolyte finds a tunnel behind a drawer, but it is revealed to be a trap covered in cacti. When they finally cross the first barrier, the acolyte finds a dollar bill on the floor. When he tries to pick it up, however, his finger is bitten by a rat that was formerly trapped under the bill. Angered, the acolyte decides to go first through a tight passage, just so that he can reach the Collyer brothers first and get revenge for himself. However, he steps on a piano key, triggering yet another trap - causing an ice pick to pierce his leg, and subsequently releasing a bundle of firecrackers which fall into and explode inside of his mouth. As the acolyte gesticulates, he triggers another trap, and is covered in calcium phosphide, a liquid that combusts when it comes into contact with water.
After surviving the subsequent explosion, the leader manages to reach the Collyer brothers' room. However, when he opens the door, he discovers the corpse of Homer, in the process triggering a final trap that launches a car at him. When the police later investigate the house, the bodies of the two burglars are left out of their report.
Quotes
Quotes- “I'm certain of it... These guys are hiding something alright! Being the hermits they are, they wouldn't dare deposit any money at the bank! The Collyer house is a treasure trove! (確信したぜ。絶対に こいつら財産を隠し持ってるッ！ 銀行にも預けないで仙人暮らしをしてな！ コリヤー邸は宝の山だッ！)”—Leader Burglar, The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
- “Hey... Would the two of us be burglars? Or are we thieves? (なあ おれたちゃドロボーなのか？ それとも強盗なのかよ？)”—Acolyte Burglar, The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers“We know they haven't left the house... As long as they're asleep, we get to go home as mere burglars. But if they wake up, this could turn into a robbery. (確実なのは留守じゃあないってことだ……寝てりゃあドロボーってことで帰るが。起きてりゃあ強盗になることもありうるな)”—Leader Burglar, The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
- “The pain... Th- The younger one must've done this! Damn it all... That damn younger brother! I'm gonna kill him! He's not gonna get away with this! (痛でえッ！ お…弟の方だなッ！ ちくしょおおおお 弟の野郎だなッ！ ぶっ殺してやるッ！ 許さねえーーーーッ)”—Acolyte Burglar, The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers“Don't be so reckless! Put that knife away! At least wait to off them until we find the money! (おい あわてるなッ！ ナイフはしまえッ！ 金をみつけるまでは殺すんじゃあねーぞッ！)”—Leader Burglar, The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
- “Big broooooo! I want out! I want out! (兄貴イイイイイイ 出だい！ 出だい)”—Acolyte Burglar's last words, The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
- “I'll kill you! But first, I'll have you tell me where the money is! (ぶっ殺してやるッ！ 金のありかを吐かせたあとになああああ)”—Leader Burglar's last words, The Brothers Nobody Knew: Collyer Brothers
Gallery
The burglars inspect the house
The acolyte loses his temper
The acolyte burglar's final moments
The leader burglar meets his end
Trivia
- The appearances and mannerisms of the two burglars bear a striking resemblance to Prosciutto and Pesci from Vento Aureo.
References
