In 1988, the Caribbean Examinations Council introduced an award for the Best Short Story written by a candidate during the stringent Caribbean Secondary Education Certificate(r) (CSEC(r)) English A (Language) examination.

Under pressure for time in a high-stakes environment, the young writers produced gripping narratives that not only spoke to quality of imagination but also the command of language that the Council sought to cultivate in their language syllabus.

Addressing provocative themes such as death, murder, and illness, this Commemorative Compilation of the winning short...