3-Object Story Winner!

Writers were asked to include the following objects in a story of 100-300 words:

onion, magnifying glass, flower

“What’re you two doing in here?” The voice heard was gravely and deep. Slowly, I turned around to see three tall men behind me, one of them holding me and my partner, Charlie, at gunpoint. “One of yous better answer, or I’ll just have to pop you both without reason!” My mouth opened but there was no sound. Charlie looked at me, then back at the men. 

“We’ll pay for the goods, honest,” he whined. The storage room smelled like rotten onions, nothing like the flower shop upstairs. There was one window and shelves were stacked against the walls with kegs, everything you’d expect in a speakeasy. Click! I felt a cold metal cylinder against my head, fear ran through every part of my body. “So what do you have to say for yourself?” The man pushed the cylinder into my skull. I jolted back and covered my face with my hands. As I looked through my hands, I saw a yellow light dart past the ceiling. “Answer me!” he screamed. It was my watch! The light from the window was reflecting against my watch.I then remembered how as a kid I’d use a magnifying glass to start small fires. The man grew tired of waiting for my response. “Quiet huh, I guess it’s the highway for this one.” 

As he started to pull the trigger of his revolver, Charlie screamed. “Wait!” This was my only chance. While the thugs were distracted, I reflected the light towards a large paper sack tied to the ceiling. The bag started to turn to ash. Ssssssss! The bag tore open, and flour poured all over the thugs. I grabbed Charlie and we ran up the stairs. I pushed a shelf down towards the thugs, and the kegs spilled across the floor.