diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Either.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Either.kt
index 42be82f..ce8dff4 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Either.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Either.kt
@@ -62,11 +62,11 @@ class Either<A, B> private constructor(
 fun <A, B, R> Either<A, B>.flatten(): R where A: R, B: R =
     getAOrNull() ?: getB()
 
-fun <A, B> Either<A, Either<A, B>>.partiallyFlatten(): Either<A, B> =
-    mapA<Either<A, B>> { Either.ofA(it) }.flatten()
+fun <A, A2, B> Either<A, Either<A2, B>>.partiallyFlattenB(): Either<A2, B> where A: A2 =
+    mapA<Either<A2, B>> { Either.ofA(it) }.flatten()
 
-fun <A, B> Either<Either<A, B>, B>.partiallyFlatten(): Either<A, B> =
-    mapB<Either<A, B>> { Either.ofB(it) }.flatten()
+fun <A, B, B2> Either<Either<A, B2>, B>.partiallyFlattenA(): Either<A, B2> where B: B2 =
+    mapB<Either<A, B2>> { Either.ofB(it) }.flatten()
 
 fun <A, BA, BB, BAN> Either<A, Either<BA, BB>>.mapBA(fn: (BA) -> BAN): Either<A, Either<BAN, BB>> =
     mapB { it.mapA(fn) }
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Obj.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Obj.kt
index 5321fb5..2671dcb 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Obj.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/Obj.kt
@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ fun <I, O> Obj<I>.map(transform: (I) -> O): Obj<O> =
 interface MutObj<T> {
     var v: T
 
-    inline fun modify(fn: (T) -> T) {
+    fun modify(fn: (T) -> T) {
         v = fn(v)
     }
 
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/JSON.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/JSON.kt
index e486d79..04d5787 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/JSON.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/JSON.kt
@@ -1,55 +1,57 @@
 package blitz.parse
 
-import blitz.parse.comb.*
+import blitz.parse.comb2.*
 
 object JSON {
-    lateinit var jsonElement: Parser<Element>
+    val jsonElement = futureRec { jsonElement: Parser<Char, Element> ->
 
-    val jsonNum = parser {
-        it.map(NumParse.float)?.mapSecond { n ->
-            Number(n)
-        }
-    }
+        val jsonNum: Parser<Char, Element> = floatLit()
+            .mapValue(::Number)
 
-    val jsonString = parser {
-        it.stringWithEscape()
-            ?.mapSecond { Str(it) }
-    }
+        val jsonString: Parser<Char, Element> = stringLit()
+            .mapValue(::Str)
 
-    val jsonArray = parser {
-        it.require("[")
-            ?.array(",") { elem ->
-                elem.whitespaces()
-                    .map(jsonElement)
-                    ?.whitespaces()
-            }
-            ?.require("]")
-            ?.mapSecond { x -> Array(x) }
-    }
+        val jsonArray: Parser<Char, Element> = just('[')
+            .then(jsonElement
+                .delimitedBy(just(','))
+                .mapValue(::Array))
+            .thenIgnore(whitespaces())
+            .thenIgnore(just(']'))
+            .mapValue { it.second }
 
-    val jsonBool = parser { it.require("true")?.to(Bool(true)) } or
-            parser { it.require("false")?.to(Bool(false)) }
+        val jsonBool: Parser<Char, Element> = choose(
+            seq("true".toList()).mapValue { Bool(true) },
+            seq("false".toList()).mapValue { Bool(false) },
+        )
 
-    val jsonNull = parser { it.require("null")?.to(Nul()) }
+        val jsonNull: Parser<Char, Element> = seq("null".toList())
+            .mapValue { Nul() }
 
-    val jsonObj = parser {
-        it.require("{")
-            ?.array(",") { elem ->
-                elem.whitespaces()
-                    .map(jsonString)
-                    ?.mapSecond { it.str }
-                    ?.whitespaces()
-                    ?.require(":")
-                    ?.whitespaces()
-                    ?.map(jsonElement)
-                    ?.whitespaces()
-            }
-            ?.require("}")
-            ?.mapSecond { x -> Obj(x.toMap()) }
-    }
+        val jsonObj: Parser<Char, Element> = just('{')
+            .then(
+                whitespaces()
+                .then(stringLit())
+                .mapValue { it.second }
+                .thenIgnore(whitespaces())
+                .thenIgnore(just(':'))
+                .then(jsonElement)
+                .delimitedBy(just(',')))
+            .thenIgnore(whitespaces())
+            .thenIgnore(just('}'))
+            .mapValue { Obj(it.second.toMap()) }
+
+        whitespaces()
+            .then(choose(
+                jsonArray,
+                jsonNum,
+                jsonString,
+                jsonObj,
+                jsonBool,
+                jsonNull
+            ))
+            .thenIgnore(whitespaces())
+            .mapValue { it.second }
 
-    init {
-        jsonElement = (jsonArray or jsonNum or jsonString or jsonObj or jsonBool or jsonNull).trim()
     }
 
     interface Element {
@@ -95,6 +97,6 @@ object JSON {
 
     class Nul: Element
 
-    fun parse(string: String): Element? =
-        jsonElement(Parsable(string))?.second
+    fun parse(string: String): ParseResult<Element> =
+        jsonElement(ParseCtx(string.toList(), 0))
 }
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Parser.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Parser.kt
index 0a2178d..70806b3 100644
--- a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Parser.kt
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Parser.kt
@@ -1,7 +1,11 @@
 package blitz.parse.comb2
 
 import blitz.Either
-import blitz.partiallyFlatten
+import blitz.Provider
+import blitz.collections.contents
+import blitz.partiallyFlattenA
+import blitz.partiallyFlattenB
+import blitz.str.charsToString
 
 data class ParseCtx<I>(
     val input: List<I>,
@@ -31,7 +35,7 @@ fun <I, M, O> Parser<I, M>.then(other: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, Pair<M, O>> =
         invoke(ctx).mapA { first ->
             other.invoke(ctx)
                 .mapA { first to it }
-        }.partiallyFlatten()
+        }.partiallyFlattenA()
     }
 
 fun <I, O, T> Parser<I, O>.thenIgnore(other: Parser<I, T>): Parser<I, O> =
@@ -39,23 +43,50 @@ fun <I, O, T> Parser<I, O>.thenIgnore(other: Parser<I, T>): Parser<I, O> =
         invoke(ctx).mapA { first ->
             other.invoke(ctx)
                 .mapA { first }
-        }.partiallyFlatten()
+        }.partiallyFlattenA()
     }
 
-fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.orElse(other: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, O> =
+fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.orElseVal(value: O): Parser<I, O> =
+    orElse { Either.ofA(value) }
+
+fun <I, O: Any> Parser<I, O>.orNot(): Parser<I, O?> =
+    orElse { Either.ofA(null) }
+
+fun <I, O, R> Parser<I, O>.orElse(other: Parser<I, R>): Parser<I, R> where O: R =
     {
         val old = it.copy()
         this(it).mapB { err ->
             it.loadFrom(old)
             other.invoke(it)
                 .mapB { err + it }
-        }.partiallyFlatten()
+        }.partiallyFlattenB()
     }
 
+fun <I, O> choose(possible: Iterable<Parser<I, O>>): Parser<I, O> =
+    { ctx ->
+        val errors = mutableListOf<ParseError>()
+        var res: O? = null
+        for (p in possible) {
+            val old = ctx.copy()
+            val t = p.invoke(ctx)
+            if (t.isA) {
+                res = t.getA()
+                break
+            } else {
+                ctx.loadFrom(old)
+                errors += t.getB()
+            }
+        }
+        res?.let { Either.ofA(it) }
+            ?: Either.ofB(errors)
+    }
+
+fun <I, O> choose(vararg possible: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, O> =
+    choose(possible.toList())
+
 fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.repeated(): Parser<I, List<O>> =
     { ctx ->
         val out = mutableListOf<O>()
-        var ret: List<ParseError>? = null
         while (true) {
             val old = ctx.copy()
             val t = invoke(ctx)
@@ -63,28 +94,18 @@ fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.repeated(): Parser<I, List<O>> =
                 out += t.getA()
             } else {
                 ctx.loadFrom(old)
-                ret = t.getB()
                 break
             }
         }
-        if (ret == null) {
-            Either.ofA(out)
-        } else Either.ofB(ret)
+        Either.ofA(out)
     }
 
-fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.delimitedBy(delim: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, List<O>> =
-    thenIgnore(delim)
-        .repeated()
-        .then(this)
-        .mapValue { (a, b) -> a + b }
-        .orElse(value(listOf()))
-
 inline fun <I, O> Parser<I, O>.verifyValue(crossinline verif: (O) -> String?): Parser<I, O> =
     { ctx ->
         invoke(ctx).mapA<ParseResult<O>> {
             verif(it)?.let { Either.ofB(listOf(ParseError(ctx.idx, it))) }
                 ?: Either.ofA(it)
-        }.partiallyFlatten()
+        }.partiallyFlattenA()
     }
 
 inline fun <I, O> Parser<I, Pair<IntRange, O>>.verifyValueWithSpan(crossinline fn: (O) -> String?): Parser<I, O> =
@@ -92,7 +113,7 @@ inline fun <I, O> Parser<I, Pair<IntRange, O>>.verifyValueWithSpan(crossinline f
         invoke(ctx).mapA<ParseResult<O>> { (span, v) ->
             fn(v)?.let { Either.ofB(listOf(ParseError(span.first, it))) }
                 ?: Either.ofA(v)
-        }.partiallyFlatten()
+        }.partiallyFlattenA()
     }
 
 fun <I, O: Any?> Parser<I, O?>.errIfNull(msg: String = "parser value was null internally"): Parser<I, O> =
@@ -116,20 +137,56 @@ fun <I, O> withSpan(p: Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, Pair<IntRange, O>> =
 fun <I, O> value(value: O): Parser<I, O> =
     { Either.ofA(value) }
 
-fun whitespaces(): Parser<Char, String> =
-    regex("\\s+")
+fun <I, O> chain(parsers: List<Parser<I, O>>): Parser<I, List<O>> =
+    { ctx ->
+        val results = mutableListOf<O>()
+        val errs = mutableListOf<ParseError>()
+        for (p in parsers) {
+            val r = p.invoke(ctx)
+            if (r.isA) {
+                results += r.getA()
+            } else {
+                errs += r.getB()
+                break
+            }
+        }
+        if (errs.isNotEmpty()) Either.ofB(errs)
+        else Either.ofA(results)
+    }
+
+fun <I> seq(want: List<I>): Parser<I, List<I>> =
+    chain(want.map(::just))
+
+inline fun <I> filter(msg: String, crossinline filter: (I) -> Boolean): Parser<I, I> =
+    { ctx ->
+        if (ctx.idx >= ctx.input.size) {
+            Either.ofB(listOf(ParseError(ctx.idx, "unexpected end of file")))
+        } else {
+            val i = ctx.input[ctx.idx++]
+            if (filter(i)) Either.ofA(i)
+            else Either.ofB(listOf(ParseError(ctx.idx - 1, msg)))
+        }
+    }
 
 fun <I> just(want: I): Parser<I, I> =
-    { ctx ->
-        val i = ctx.input[ctx.idx ++]
-        if (i == want) Either.ofA(i)
-        else Either.ofB(listOf(ParseError(ctx.idx - 1, "expected $want")))
-    }
+    filter("expected $want") { it == want }
+
+fun <I> oneOf(possible: Iterable<I>): Parser<I, I> =
+    filter("expected one of ${possible.contents}") { it in possible }
+
+fun <I, O> future(prov: Provider<Parser<I, O>>): Parser<I, O> =
+    { prov()(it) }
+
+inline fun <I, O> futureRec(crossinline fn: (future: Parser<I, O>) -> Parser<I, O>): Parser<I, O> {
+    lateinit var f: Parser<I, O>
+    f = fn(future { f })
+    return f
+}
 
 /** group values 0 is the entire match */
 fun <O> regex(pattern: Regex, fn: (groups: MatchGroupCollection) -> O): Parser<Char, O> =
     { ctx ->
-        pattern.matchAt(ctx.input.toString(), ctx.idx)?.let {
+        pattern.matchAt(ctx.input.charsToString(), ctx.idx)?.let {
             ctx.idx = it.range.last + 1
             Either.ofA(fn(it.groups))
         } ?: Either.ofB(listOf(
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Predef.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Predef.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..e8578fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/parse/comb2/Predef.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,67 @@
+package blitz.parse.comb2
+
+import blitz.str.charsToString
+import kotlin.math.absoluteValue
+import kotlin.math.sign
+
+fun whitespaces(): Parser<Char, String> =
+    oneOf("\n\t\r\b ".toList())
+        .repeated()
+        .mapValue { it.charsToString() }
+
+fun digit(): Parser<Char, Char> =
+    oneOf("0123456789".toList())
+
+fun uintLit(): Parser<Char, UInt> =
+    withSpan(digit().repeated())
+        .verifyValueWithSpan { if (it.isEmpty()) "need digits after sign in num lit" else null }
+        .mapValue { it.charsToString().toUInt() }
+
+fun intLit(): Parser<Char, Int> =
+    choose(just('+').mapValue { +1 },
+           just('-').mapValue { -1 },
+           value(+1))
+        .then(uintLit())
+        .mapValue { (sign, v) -> sign * v.toInt() }
+
+fun floatLit(): Parser<Char, Double> =
+    intLit()
+        .then(just('.')
+            .then(uintLit())
+            .mapValue { it.second }
+            .orElseVal(0u))
+        .mapValue { (pre, post) ->
+            var p = post.toDouble()
+            while (p.absoluteValue >= 1) {
+                p *= 0.1
+            }
+
+            (pre.toDouble().absoluteValue + p) * pre.toDouble().sign
+        }
+
+fun escapeChar(): Parser<Char, Char> =
+    just('\\').then(
+        choose(just('"'),
+               just('\''),
+               just('\\'),
+               just('n').mapValue { '\n' },
+               just('r').mapValue { '\r' },
+               just('b').mapValue { '\b' },
+               just('t').mapValue { '\t' })
+            .mapErrors { listOf(ParseError(it.first().loc, "invalid escape sequence")) }
+    ).mapValue { it.second }
+
+fun stringLit(): Parser<Char, String> =
+    just('"')
+        .then(choose(escapeChar(),
+                     filter("a") { it != '"' })
+            .repeated())
+        .thenIgnore(just('"'))
+        .mapValue { (_, str) -> str.charsToString() }
+
+fun <I, O, T> Parser<I, O>.delimitedBy(delim: Parser<I, T>): Parser<I, List<O>> =
+    thenIgnore(delim)
+        .repeated()
+        .then(this)
+        .mapValue { (a, b) -> a + b }
+        .orElse(value(listOf()))
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/src/main/kotlin/blitz/str/CharsToString.kt b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/str/CharsToString.kt
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..80e0b12
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/main/kotlin/blitz/str/CharsToString.kt
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+package blitz.str
+
+fun Collection<Char>.charsToString(): String =
+    String(this.toCharArray())
\ No newline at end of file