All fiction is perhaps a true story. Reality, slightly twisted, with a detail intentionally out of place. The stories in this issue are all walking through these altered times. Down the bloody streets of Paris, in a narrative out of sync, how do you judge a fallen Queen of Diamonds (Lalitha Ramanathan)? And in the shops of your childhood, as a fire wreaks havoc, will you be able to look Rahim Chacha in the eye again (Swati Singh)? Made bitter by memories of loss, find sweetness in the familiar smell of Pinni (Harshita Nanda). Settle into a small town, gossip about the odd neighbour, but think carefully before you weigh in on the Mill Creek Drowning (L.A. Nolan), because the visceral descriptions may lead you down a different path. As you reach the Deep End (Sunil Kumar), remember your enemies and don’t trust your friends. Perhaps by the end of these stories you will wonder if all fiction is really a lie. A detail omitted, misheard or misunderstood.