diff --git a/main.go b/main.go
index 0e66e91..416f6f3 100644
--- a/main.go
+++ b/main.go
@@ -45,7 +45,7 @@ func main() {
 	layers.Insert(0, rect)
 	layers.Insert(1, text)
 
-	layers.Remove(text.UniqueId())
+	//layers.Remove(text.UniqueId())
 
 	events := make(chan tcell.Event)
 	quit := make(chan struct{})
diff --git a/render/grid.go b/render/grid.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..318a4fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/render/grid.go
@@ -0,0 +1,78 @@
+package render
+
+import (
+	"mvvasilev/last_light/util"
+
+	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+)
+
+type grid struct {
+	id uuid.UUID
+
+	internalCellSize   util.Size
+	numCellsHorizontal uint16
+	numCellsVertical   uint16
+	position           util.Position
+	style              tcell.Style
+
+	northBorder rune
+	westBorder  rune
+	eastBorder  rune
+	southBorder rune
+
+	nwCorner rune
+	swCorner rune
+	seCorner rune
+	neCorner rune
+
+	verticalTJunction   rune
+	horizontalTJunction rune
+	crossJunction       rune
+
+	fillRune rune
+}
+
+func CreateGrid(
+	x uint16,
+	y uint16,
+	cellWidth uint16,
+	cellHeight uint16,
+	numCellsHorizontal uint16,
+	numCellsVertical uint16,
+	nwCorner, northBorder, neCorner,
+	westBorder, fillRune, eastBorder,
+	swCorner, southBorder, seCorner,
+	verticalTJunction, horizontalTJunction,
+	crossJunction rune,
+	style tcell.Style,
+) grid {
+	return grid{
+		id:                  uuid.New(),
+		internalCellSize:    util.SizeOf(cellWidth, cellHeight),
+		numCellsHorizontal:  numCellsHorizontal,
+		numCellsVertical:    numCellsVertical,
+		position:            util.PositionAt(x, y),
+		style:               style,
+		northBorder:         northBorder,
+		eastBorder:          eastBorder,
+		southBorder:         southBorder,
+		westBorder:          westBorder,
+		nwCorner:            nwCorner,
+		seCorner:            seCorner,
+		swCorner:            swCorner,
+		neCorner:            neCorner,
+		fillRune:            fillRune,
+		verticalTJunction:   verticalTJunction,
+		horizontalTJunction: horizontalTJunction,
+		crossJunction:       crossJunction,
+	}
+}
+
+func (g grid) UniqueId() uuid.UUID {
+	return g.id
+}
+
+func (g grid) Draw(s tcell.Screen) {
+
+}
diff --git a/render/layers.go b/render/layers.go
index 1301429..eda9053 100644
--- a/render/layers.go
+++ b/render/layers.go
@@ -5,50 +5,95 @@ import (
 
 	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
 	"github.com/google/uuid"
-	"github.com/tidwall/btree"
 )
 
+type layer struct {
+	zIndex   uint8
+	contents []Drawable
+}
+
+func makeLayer(zIndex uint8) *layer {
+	l := new(layer)
+
+	l.zIndex = zIndex
+	l.contents = make([]Drawable, 0, 1)
+
+	return l
+}
+
+func (l *layer) push(drawable Drawable) {
+	l.contents = append(l.contents, drawable)
+}
+
+func (l *layer) remove(uuid uuid.UUID) {
+	l.contents = slices.DeleteFunc(l.contents, func(d Drawable) bool {
+		return d.UniqueId() == uuid
+	})
+}
+
+func (l *layer) draw(s tcell.Screen) {
+	for _, d := range l.contents {
+		d.Draw(s)
+	}
+}
+
 type layeredDrawContainer struct {
 	id     uuid.UUID
-	layers *btree.Map[uint8, []Drawable]
+	layers []*layer
 }
 
 func CreateLayeredDrawContainer() *layeredDrawContainer {
 	container := new(layeredDrawContainer)
 
-	container.layers = btree.NewMap[uint8, []Drawable](2)
+	container.layers = make([]*layer, 0, 32)
 
 	return container
 }
 
 func (ldc *layeredDrawContainer) Insert(zLevel uint8, drawable Drawable) {
-	arr, found := ldc.layers.Get(zLevel)
+	// if no layers exist, just insert a new one
+	if len(ldc.layers) == 0 {
+		l := makeLayer(zLevel)
+		l.push(drawable)
+		ldc.layers = append(ldc.layers, l)
 
-	if !found {
-		arr = make([]Drawable, 1, 2)
+		return
 	}
 
-	arr = append(arr, drawable)
+	// find a layer with this z-index
+	i := slices.IndexFunc(ldc.layers, func(l *layer) bool {
+		return l.zIndex == zLevel
+	})
 
-	ldc.layers.Set(zLevel, arr)
-}
+	// z index already exists
+	if i > 0 {
+		l := ldc.layers[i]
+		l.push(drawable)
 
-func (ldc *layeredDrawContainer) Remove(id uuid.UUID) {
-	ldc.layers.ScanMut(func(key uint8, value []Drawable) bool {
-		newSlices := slices.DeleteFunc(value, func(v Drawable) bool { return v.UniqueId() == id })
+		return
+	}
 
-		ldc.layers.Set(key, newSlices)
+	// no such layer exists, create it
 
-		if len(newSlices) != len(value) {
-			return false // the slice has been modified, we have found the drawable. Return false to stop iteration.
-		} else {
-			return true // we haven't found it yet, keep going
-		}
+	l := makeLayer(zLevel)
+	l.push(drawable)
+
+	ldc.layers = append(ldc.layers, l)
+
+	// order layers ascending
+	slices.SortFunc(ldc.layers, func(l1 *layer, l2 *layer) int {
+		return int(l1.zIndex) - int(l2.zIndex)
 	})
 }
 
+func (ldc *layeredDrawContainer) Remove(id uuid.UUID) {
+	for _, l := range ldc.layers {
+		l.remove(id)
+	}
+}
+
 func (ldc *layeredDrawContainer) Clear() {
-	ldc.layers = btree.NewMap[uint8, []Drawable](2)
+	ldc.layers = make([]*layer, 0, 32)
 }
 
 func (ldc *layeredDrawContainer) UniqueId() uuid.UUID {
@@ -56,11 +101,7 @@ func (ldc *layeredDrawContainer) UniqueId() uuid.UUID {
 }
 
 func (ldc *layeredDrawContainer) Draw(s tcell.Screen) {
-	ldc.layers.Ascend(0, func(key uint8, value []Drawable) bool {
-		for _, d := range value {
-			d.Draw(s)
-		}
-
-		return true
-	})
+	for _, d := range ldc.layers {
+		d.draw(s)
+	}
 }
diff --git a/render/rectangle.go b/render/rectangle.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..ed7f3fa
--- /dev/null
+++ b/render/rectangle.go
@@ -0,0 +1,140 @@
+package render
+
+import (
+	"mvvasilev/last_light/util"
+
+	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+)
+
+type rectangle struct {
+	id uuid.UUID
+
+	size     util.Size
+	position util.Position
+	style    tcell.Style
+
+	northBorder rune
+	westBorder  rune
+	eastBorder  rune
+	southBorder rune
+
+	nwCorner rune
+	swCorner rune
+	seCorner rune
+	neCorner rune
+
+	fillRune rune
+}
+
+func CreateSimpleRectangle(x uint16, y uint16, width uint16, height uint16, borderRune rune, fillRune rune, style tcell.Style) rectangle {
+	return CreateRectangle(
+		x, y, width, height,
+		borderRune, borderRune, borderRune,
+		borderRune, fillRune, borderRune,
+		borderRune, borderRune, borderRune,
+		style,
+	)
+}
+
+// CreateRectangle(
+//
+//	x, y, width, height,
+//	'┌', '─', '┐',
+//	'│', ' ', '│',
+//	'└', '─', '┘',
+//	style
+//
+// )
+func CreateRectangle(
+	x uint16,
+	y uint16,
+	width uint16,
+	height uint16,
+	nwCorner, northBorder, neCorner,
+	westBorder, fillRune, eastBorder,
+	swCorner, southBorder, seCorner rune,
+	style tcell.Style,
+) rectangle {
+	return rectangle{
+		id:          uuid.New(),
+		size:        util.SizeOf(width, height),
+		position:    util.PositionAt(x, y),
+		style:       style,
+		northBorder: northBorder,
+		eastBorder:  eastBorder,
+		southBorder: southBorder,
+		westBorder:  westBorder,
+		nwCorner:    nwCorner,
+		seCorner:    seCorner,
+		swCorner:    swCorner,
+		neCorner:    neCorner,
+		fillRune:    fillRune,
+	}
+}
+
+func (rect rectangle) UniqueId() uuid.UUID {
+	return rect.id
+}
+
+func (rect rectangle) Draw(s tcell.Screen) {
+	width := rect.size.Width()
+	height := rect.size.Height()
+	x := rect.position.X()
+	y := rect.position.Y()
+
+	for h := range height {
+		for w := range width {
+
+			// nw corner
+			if w == 0 && h == 0 {
+				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.nwCorner, nil, rect.style)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// ne corner
+			if w == (width-1) && h == 0 {
+				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.neCorner, nil, rect.style)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// sw corner
+			if w == 0 && h == (height-1) {
+				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.swCorner, nil, rect.style)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// se corner
+			if w == (width-1) && h == (height-1) {
+				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.seCorner, nil, rect.style)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// north border
+			if h == 0 && (w != 0 && w != (width-1)) {
+				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.northBorder, nil, rect.style)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// south border
+			if h == (height-1) && (w != 0 && w != (width-1)) {
+				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.southBorder, nil, rect.style)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// west border
+			if w == 0 && (h != 0 && h != (height-1)) {
+				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.westBorder, nil, rect.style)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			// east border
+			if w == (width-1) && (h != 0 && h != (height-1)) {
+				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.eastBorder, nil, rect.style)
+				continue
+			}
+
+			s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.fillRune, nil, rect.style)
+		}
+	}
+}
diff --git a/render/render.go b/render/render.go
deleted file mode 100644
index aaef03c..0000000
--- a/render/render.go
+++ /dev/null
@@ -1,290 +0,0 @@
-package render
-
-import (
-	"mvvasilev/last_light/util"
-	"strings"
-	"unicode/utf8"
-
-	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
-	"github.com/google/uuid"
-)
-
-type Drawable interface {
-	UniqueId() uuid.UUID
-	Draw(s tcell.Screen)
-}
-
-type rectangle struct {
-	id uuid.UUID
-
-	size     util.Size
-	position util.Position
-	style    tcell.Style
-
-	northBorder rune
-	westBorder  rune
-	eastBorder  rune
-	southBorder rune
-
-	nwCorner rune
-	swCorner rune
-	seCorner rune
-	neCorner rune
-
-	fillRune rune
-}
-
-func CreateSimpleRectangle(x uint16, y uint16, width uint16, height uint16, borderRune rune, fillRune rune, style tcell.Style) rectangle {
-	return CreateRectangle(
-		x, y, width, height,
-		borderRune, borderRune, borderRune,
-		borderRune, fillRune, borderRune,
-		borderRune, borderRune, borderRune,
-		style,
-	)
-}
-
-// CreateRectangle(
-//
-//	x, y, width, height,
-//	'┌', '─', '┐',
-//	'│', ' ', '│',
-//	'└', '─', '┘',
-//	style
-//
-// )
-func CreateRectangle(
-	x uint16,
-	y uint16,
-	width uint16,
-	height uint16,
-	nwCorner, northBorder, neCorner,
-	westBorder, fillRune, eastBorder,
-	swCorner, southBorder, seCorner rune,
-	style tcell.Style,
-) rectangle {
-	return rectangle{
-		id:          uuid.New(),
-		size:        util.SizeOf(width, height),
-		position:    util.PositionAt(x, y),
-		style:       style,
-		northBorder: northBorder,
-		eastBorder:  eastBorder,
-		southBorder: southBorder,
-		westBorder:  westBorder,
-		nwCorner:    nwCorner,
-		seCorner:    seCorner,
-		swCorner:    swCorner,
-		neCorner:    neCorner,
-		fillRune:    fillRune,
-	}
-}
-
-func (rect rectangle) UniqueId() uuid.UUID {
-	return rect.id
-}
-
-func (rect rectangle) Draw(s tcell.Screen) {
-	width := rect.size.Width()
-	height := rect.size.Height()
-	x := rect.position.X()
-	y := rect.position.Y()
-
-	for h := range height {
-		for w := range width {
-
-			// nw corner
-			if w == 0 && h == 0 {
-				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.nwCorner, nil, rect.style)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// ne corner
-			if w == (width-1) && h == 0 {
-				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.neCorner, nil, rect.style)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// sw corner
-			if w == 0 && h == (height-1) {
-				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.swCorner, nil, rect.style)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// se corner
-			if w == (width-1) && h == (height-1) {
-				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.seCorner, nil, rect.style)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// north border
-			if h == 0 && (w != 0 && w != (width-1)) {
-				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.northBorder, nil, rect.style)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// south border
-			if h == (height-1) && (w != 0 && w != (width-1)) {
-				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.southBorder, nil, rect.style)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// west border
-			if w == 0 && (h != 0 && h != (height-1)) {
-				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.westBorder, nil, rect.style)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			// east border
-			if w == (width-1) && (h != 0 && h != (height-1)) {
-				s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.eastBorder, nil, rect.style)
-				continue
-			}
-
-			s.SetContent(x+w, y+h, rect.fillRune, nil, rect.style)
-		}
-	}
-
-}
-
-type text struct {
-	id       uuid.UUID
-	content  []string
-	position util.Position
-	size     util.Size
-	style    tcell.Style
-}
-
-func CreateText(
-	x, y uint16,
-	width, height uint16,
-	content string,
-	style tcell.Style,
-) text {
-	return text{
-		id:       uuid.New(),
-		content:  strings.Split(content, " "),
-		style:    style,
-		size:     util.SizeOf(width, height),
-		position: util.PositionAt(x, y),
-	}
-}
-
-func (t text) UniqueId() uuid.UUID {
-	return t.id
-}
-
-func (t text) Draw(s tcell.Screen) {
-	width := t.size.Width()
-	height := t.size.Height()
-	x := t.position.X()
-	y := t.position.Y()
-
-	currentHPos := 0
-	currentVPos := 0
-
-	drawText := func(text string) {
-		for i, r := range text {
-			s.SetContent(x+currentHPos+i, y+currentVPos, r, nil, t.style)
-		}
-	}
-
-	for _, s := range t.content {
-		runeCount := utf8.RuneCountInString(s)
-
-		if currentVPos > height {
-			break
-		}
-
-		// The current word cannot fit within the remaining space on the line
-		if runeCount > (width - currentHPos) {
-			currentVPos += 1 // next line
-			currentHPos = 0  // reset to start of line
-
-			drawText(s + " ")
-			currentHPos += runeCount + 1
-
-			continue
-		}
-
-		// The current word fits exactly within the remaining space on the line
-		if runeCount == (width - currentHPos) {
-			drawText(s)
-
-			currentVPos += 1 // next line
-			currentHPos = 0  // reset to start of line
-
-			continue
-		}
-
-		// The current word fits within the remaining space, and there's more space left over
-		drawText(s + " ")
-		currentHPos += runeCount + 1 // add +1 to account for space after word
-	}
-}
-
-type grid struct {
-	id uuid.UUID
-
-	internalCellSize   util.Size
-	numCellsHorizontal uint16
-	numCellsVertical   uint16
-	position           util.Position
-	style              tcell.Style
-
-	northBorder rune
-	westBorder  rune
-	eastBorder  rune
-	southBorder rune
-
-	nwCorner rune
-	swCorner rune
-	seCorner rune
-	neCorner rune
-
-	verticalTJunction   rune
-	horizontalTJunction rune
-	crossJunction       rune
-
-	fillRune rune
-}
-
-func CreateGrid(
-	x uint16,
-	y uint16,
-	cellWidth uint16,
-	cellHeight uint16,
-	numCellsHorizontal uint16,
-	numCellsVertical uint16,
-	nwCorner, northBorder, neCorner,
-	westBorder, fillRune, eastBorder,
-	swCorner, southBorder, seCorner,
-	verticalTJunction, horizontalTJunction,
-	crossJunction rune,
-	style tcell.Style,
-) grid {
-	return grid{
-		id:                  uuid.New(),
-		internalCellSize:    util.SizeOf(cellWidth, cellHeight),
-		numCellsHorizontal:  numCellsHorizontal,
-		numCellsVertical:    numCellsVertical,
-		position:            util.PositionAt(x, y),
-		style:               style,
-		northBorder:         northBorder,
-		eastBorder:          eastBorder,
-		southBorder:         southBorder,
-		westBorder:          westBorder,
-		nwCorner:            nwCorner,
-		seCorner:            seCorner,
-		swCorner:            swCorner,
-		neCorner:            neCorner,
-		fillRune:            fillRune,
-		verticalTJunction:   verticalTJunction,
-		horizontalTJunction: horizontalTJunction,
-		crossJunction:       crossJunction,
-	}
-}
-
-func (g grid) Draw(s tcell.Screen) {
-
-}
diff --git a/render/text.go b/render/text.go
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..a8181a1
--- /dev/null
+++ b/render/text.go
@@ -0,0 +1,91 @@
+package render
+
+import (
+	"mvvasilev/last_light/util"
+	"strings"
+	"unicode/utf8"
+
+	"github.com/gdamore/tcell/v2"
+	"github.com/google/uuid"
+)
+
+type Drawable interface {
+	UniqueId() uuid.UUID
+	Draw(s tcell.Screen)
+}
+
+type text struct {
+	id       uuid.UUID
+	content  []string
+	position util.Position
+	size     util.Size
+	style    tcell.Style
+}
+
+func CreateText(
+	x, y uint16,
+	width, height uint16,
+	content string,
+	style tcell.Style,
+) text {
+	return text{
+		id:       uuid.New(),
+		content:  strings.Split(content, " "),
+		style:    style,
+		size:     util.SizeOf(width, height),
+		position: util.PositionAt(x, y),
+	}
+}
+
+func (t text) UniqueId() uuid.UUID {
+	return t.id
+}
+
+func (t text) Draw(s tcell.Screen) {
+	width := t.size.Width()
+	height := t.size.Height()
+	x := t.position.X()
+	y := t.position.Y()
+
+	currentHPos := 0
+	currentVPos := 0
+
+	drawText := func(text string) {
+		for i, r := range text {
+			s.SetContent(x+currentHPos+i, y+currentVPos, r, nil, t.style)
+		}
+	}
+
+	for _, s := range t.content {
+		runeCount := utf8.RuneCountInString(s)
+
+		if currentVPos > height {
+			break
+		}
+
+		// The current word cannot fit within the remaining space on the line
+		if runeCount > (width - currentHPos) {
+			currentVPos += 1 // next line
+			currentHPos = 0  // reset to start of line
+
+			drawText(s + " ")
+			currentHPos += runeCount + 1
+
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// The current word fits exactly within the remaining space on the line
+		if runeCount == (width - currentHPos) {
+			drawText(s)
+
+			currentVPos += 1 // next line
+			currentHPos = 0  // reset to start of line
+
+			continue
+		}
+
+		// The current word fits within the remaining space, and there's more space left over
+		drawText(s + " ")
+		currentHPos += runeCount + 1 // add +1 to account for space after word
+	}
+}