diff --git a/pkg/rudus.d.ts b/pkg/rudus.d.ts
index 329ab57..3f771fc 100644
--- a/pkg/rudus.d.ts
+++ b/pkg/rudus.d.ts
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 /* tslint:disable */
 /* eslint-disable */
-export function ludus(src: string): Promise<string>;
+export function ludus(src: string): Promise<void>;
 
 export type InitInput = RequestInfo | URL | Response | BufferSource | WebAssembly.Module;
 
diff --git a/pkg/rudus.js b/pkg/rudus.js
index c4921c7..4ce4f8a 100644
--- a/pkg/rudus.js
+++ b/pkg/rudus.js
@@ -225,7 +225,7 @@ function debugString(val) {
 }
 /**
  * @param {string} src
- * @returns {Promise<string>}
+ * @returns {Promise<void>}
  */
 export function ludus(src) {
     const ptr0 = passStringToWasm0(src, wasm.__wbindgen_malloc, wasm.__wbindgen_realloc);
@@ -237,13 +237,13 @@ export function ludus(src) {
 function _assertNum(n) {
     if (typeof(n) !== 'number') throw new Error(`expected a number argument, found ${typeof(n)}`);
 }
-function __wbg_adapter_22(arg0, arg1, arg2) {
+function __wbg_adapter_20(arg0, arg1, arg2) {
     _assertNum(arg0);
     _assertNum(arg1);
     wasm.closure346_externref_shim(arg0, arg1, arg2);
 }
 
-function __wbg_adapter_52(arg0, arg1, arg2, arg3) {
+function __wbg_adapter_50(arg0, arg1, arg2, arg3) {
     _assertNum(arg0);
     _assertNum(arg1);
     wasm.closure370_externref_shim(arg0, arg1, arg2, arg3);
@@ -346,7 +346,7 @@ function __wbg_get_imports() {
                 const a = state0.a;
                 state0.a = 0;
                 try {
-                    return __wbg_adapter_52(a, state0.b, arg0, arg1);
+                    return __wbg_adapter_50(a, state0.b, arg0, arg1);
                 } finally {
                     state0.a = a;
                 }
@@ -425,8 +425,8 @@ function __wbg_get_imports() {
         _assertBoolean(ret);
         return ret;
     };
-    imports.wbg.__wbindgen_closure_wrapper7787 = function() { return logError(function (arg0, arg1, arg2) {
-        const ret = makeMutClosure(arg0, arg1, 347, __wbg_adapter_22);
+    imports.wbg.__wbindgen_closure_wrapper7819 = function() { return logError(function (arg0, arg1, arg2) {
+        const ret = makeMutClosure(arg0, arg1, 347, __wbg_adapter_20);
         return ret;
     }, arguments) };
     imports.wbg.__wbindgen_debug_string = function(arg0, arg1) {
@@ -464,10 +464,6 @@ function __wbg_get_imports() {
         getDataViewMemory0().setInt32(arg0 + 4 * 1, len1, true);
         getDataViewMemory0().setInt32(arg0 + 4 * 0, ptr1, true);
     };
-    imports.wbg.__wbindgen_string_new = function(arg0, arg1) {
-        const ret = getStringFromWasm0(arg0, arg1);
-        return ret;
-    };
     imports.wbg.__wbindgen_throw = function(arg0, arg1) {
         throw new Error(getStringFromWasm0(arg0, arg1));
     };
diff --git a/pkg/rudus_bg.wasm b/pkg/rudus_bg.wasm
index e6e1cfd..fbaf4d6 100644
Binary files a/pkg/rudus_bg.wasm and b/pkg/rudus_bg.wasm differ
diff --git a/src/errors.rs b/src/errors.rs
index 59c9e96..777bc45 100644
--- a/src/errors.rs
+++ b/src/errors.rs
@@ -1,52 +1,44 @@
 // use crate::process::{LErr, Trace};
+use crate::lexer::Token;
 use crate::validator::VErr;
+use chumsky::prelude::*;
 
-// pub fn report_panic(err: LErr) {
-//     let mut srcs = HashSet::new();
-//     let mut stack = vec![];
-//     let mut order = 1;
-//     for entry in err.trace.iter().rev() {
-//         let Trace {
-//             callee,
-//             caller,
-//             function,
-//             arguments,
-//             input,
-//             src,
-//         } = entry;
-//         let (_, first_span) = callee;
-//         let (_, second_span) = caller;
-//         let Value::Fn(f) = function else {
-//             unreachable!()
-//         };
-//         let fn_name = f.borrow().name.clone();
-//         let i = first_span.start;
-//         let j = second_span.end;
-//         let label = Label::new((entry.input, i..j))
-//             .with_color(Color::Yellow)
-//             .with_message(format!("({order}) calling `{fn_name}` with `{arguments}`"));
-//         order += 1;
-//         stack.push(label);
-//         srcs.insert((*input, *src));
-//     }
-//     Report::build(ReportKind::Error, (err.input, err.span.into_range()))
-//         .with_message(format!("Ludus panicked! {}", err.msg))
-//         .with_label(Label::new((err.input, err.span.into_range())).with_color(Color::Red))
-//         .with_labels(stack)
-//         .with_note(err.extra)
-//         .finish()
-//         .print(sources(srcs.iter().copied()))
-//         .unwrap();
-// }
+const SEPARATOR: &str = "\n\n***\n";
 
-pub fn report_invalidation(errs: Vec<VErr>) {
-    for err in errs {
-        // Report::build(ReportKind::Error, (err.input, err.span.into_range()))
-        //     .with_message(err.msg.to_string())
-        //     .with_label(Label::new((err.input, err.span.into_range())).with_color(Color::Cyan))
-        //     .finish()
-        //     .print(sources(vec![(err.input, err.src)]))
-        //     .unwrap();
-        println!("{}", err.msg);
-    }
+fn line_number(src: &'static str, span: SimpleSpan) -> usize {
+    src.chars().take(span.start).filter(|c| *c == '\n').count()
+}
+
+fn get_line(src: &'static str, line: usize) -> String {
+    src.split("\n").nth(line).unwrap().to_string()
+}
+
+pub fn lexing(errs: Vec<Rich<'static, char>>) -> String {
+    let mut msg = "Syntax errors".to_string();
+    for err in errs {
+        msg = format!("{msg}\n{:#?}", err);
+    }
+    msg
+}
+
+pub fn validation(errs: Vec<VErr>) -> String {
+    let mut msgs = vec![];
+    for err in errs {
+        let mut msg = vec![];
+        let line_number = line_number(err.src, *err.span);
+        let line = get_line(err.src, line_number);
+        msg.push(format!("Validation error: {}", err.msg));
+        msg.push(format!("  on line {} in {}", line_number + 1, err.input));
+        msg.push(format!("  >>> {line}"));
+        msgs.push(msg.join("\n"));
+    }
+    msgs.join(SEPARATOR)
+}
+
+pub fn parsing(errs: Vec<Rich<'static, Token>>) -> String {
+    let mut msg = "Syntax errors".to_string();
+    for err in errs {
+        msg = format!("{msg}\n{:#?}", err);
+    }
+    msg
 }
diff --git a/src/io.rs b/src/io.rs
index 474de81..c6107b8 100644
--- a/src/io.rs
+++ b/src/io.rs
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ extern "C" {
     fn log(s: String);
 }
 
-type Lines = Value; // expect a list of values
 type Commands = Value; // expect a list of values
 type Url = Value; // expect a string representing a URL
 type FinalValue = Result<Value, Panic>;
@@ -29,7 +28,7 @@ fn make_json_payload(verb: &'static str, data: String) -> String {
 
 #[derive(Debug, Clone, PartialEq)]
 pub enum MsgOut {
-    Console(Lines), 
+    Console(Value), 
     Commands(Commands), 
     Fetch(Url), 
     Complete(FinalValue),
@@ -65,7 +64,7 @@ impl MsgOut {
             }
             MsgOut::Console(lines) => {
                 let lines = lines.as_list();
-                let json_lines = lines.iter().map(|line| line.stringify()).collect::<Vec<_>>().join("\\n");
+                let json_lines = lines.iter().map(|line| line.to_json().unwrap()).collect::<Vec<_>>().join("\\n");
                 let json_lines = format!("\"{json_lines}\"");
                 make_json_payload("Console", json_lines)
             }
@@ -123,6 +122,17 @@ impl MsgIn {
     }
 }
 
+pub async fn send_err_to_ludus_console(msg: String) {
+    log(msg.clone());
+    let console_msg = Value::string(msg);
+    let mut console_vector = Vector::new();
+    console_vector.push_back(console_msg);
+    let console_list = Value::list(console_vector);
+    let console = MsgOut::Console(console_list);
+    let completion = MsgOut::Complete(Err(Panic::Str("")));
+    do_io(vec![MsgOut::Ready, console, completion]).await;
+}
+
 pub async fn do_io (msgs: Vec<MsgOut>) -> Vec<MsgIn> {
     let outbox = format!("[{}]", msgs.iter().map(|msg| msg.to_json()).collect::<Vec<_>>().join(","));
     let inbox = io (outbox).await;
diff --git a/src/lexer.rs b/src/lexer.rs
index 8b6d566..3711436 100644
--- a/src/lexer.rs
+++ b/src/lexer.rs
@@ -70,8 +70,8 @@ pub fn lexer(
 
     let escape = just('\\')
         .then(choice((
-            just('\\'),
-            just('"'),
+            just('\\').to('\\'),
+            just('"').to('"'),
             just('n').to('\n'),
             just('t').to('\t'),
             just('r').to('\r'),
diff --git a/src/lib.rs b/src/lib.rs
index 7ef08c4..310c9fb 100644
--- a/src/lib.rs
+++ b/src/lib.rs
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const DEBUG_PRELUDE_RUN: bool = false;
 // static ALLOCATOR: talc::TalckWasm = unsafe { talc::TalckWasm::new_global() };
 
 mod io;
+use io::send_err_to_ludus_console;
 
 mod ast;
 use crate::ast::Ast;
@@ -37,7 +38,7 @@ mod validator;
 use crate::validator::Validator;
 
 mod errors;
-use crate::errors::report_invalidation;
+use crate::errors::{lexing, parsing, validation};
 
 mod chunk;
 mod op;
@@ -113,13 +114,19 @@ extern "C" {
     fn log(s: &str);
 }
 
+
 #[wasm_bindgen]
-pub async fn ludus(src: String) -> String {
+pub async fn ludus(src: String) {
+    // instrument wasm to report rust panics
     console_error_panic_hook::set_once();
+    // leak the source so it lives FOREVER
     let src = src.to_string().leak();
+
+    // lex the source
     let (tokens, lex_errs) = lexer().parse(src).into_output_errors();
     if !lex_errs.is_empty() {
-        return format!("{:?}", lex_errs);
+        send_err_to_ludus_console(lexing(lex_errs)).await;
+        return;
     }
 
     let tokens = tokens.unwrap();
@@ -128,7 +135,8 @@ pub async fn ludus(src: String) -> String {
         .parse(Stream::from_iter(tokens).map((0..src.len()).into(), |(t, s)| (t, s)))
         .into_output_errors();
     if !parse_errors.is_empty() {
-        return format!("{:?}", parse_errors);
+        send_err_to_ludus_console(parsing(parse_errors)).await;
+        return;
     }
 
     let parsed: &'static Spanned<Ast> = Box::leak(Box::new(parse_result.unwrap()));
@@ -141,8 +149,8 @@ pub async fn ludus(src: String) -> String {
 
     // TODO: validator should generate a string, not print to the console
     if !validator.errors.is_empty() {
-        report_invalidation(validator.errors);
-        return "Ludus found some validation errors.".to_string();
+        send_err_to_ludus_console(validation(validator.errors)).await;
+        return;
     }
 
     let mut compiler = Compiler::new(
@@ -173,7 +181,8 @@ pub async fn ludus(src: String) -> String {
     world.run().await;
     let result = world.result.clone();
 
-    let output = match result {
+    // TODO: actually do something useful on a panic
+    match result {
         Some(Ok(val)) => val.show(),
         Some(Err(panic)) => format!("Ludus panicked! {panic}"),
         None => "Ludus run terminated by user".to_string()
@@ -182,5 +191,4 @@ pub async fn ludus(src: String) -> String {
         // vm.print_stack();
     }
 
-    output
 }
diff --git a/src/value.rs b/src/value.rs
index f63b35c..086fff4 100644
--- a/src/value.rs
+++ b/src/value.rs
@@ -260,8 +260,8 @@ impl Value {
         use Value::*;
         match self {
             True | False | Number(..) => Some(self.show()),
-            String(string) => Some(serde_json::to_string(string.as_ref()).unwrap()),
-            Interned(str) => Some(serde_json::to_string(str).unwrap()),
+            String(string) => Some(string.escape_default().to_string()),
+            Interned(str) => Some(str.escape_default().to_string()),
             Keyword(str) => Some(format!("\"{str}\"")),
             List(members) => {
                 let mut joined = "".to_string();