Your friends must like you (wrapped up in foil with duct tape over their mouths ;-) either that or they had no other choice ;-) Great shot, one of my fav's in the challenge.
I like the idea. I laughed when I saw the photo. I love the expression on the faces. However, I find the right side a bit too "noisy" (the bowl with something in it, and then there's something behind the bowl). It's a nice shot nonetheless :)
I really love that you've made an effort to tell some kind of story and have produced an image that is visually engaging beyond just being a picture of a lucky object. The faces are excellent.
Oh that's cool. I don't always like contrived set up shots but with all the trouble you went to, it works well and tells a story. Did you see the movie "Hostile?" This pales by comparison. :~)