diff --git a/lib/common.rb b/lib/common.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..89c2175e
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/common.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,2 @@
+require_relative "common/list"
+require_relative "common/statements"
diff --git a/lib/common/list.rb b/lib/common/list.rb
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..011e48fe
--- /dev/null
+++ b/lib/common/list.rb
@@ -0,0 +1,55 @@
+module Common
+  module List
+
+    # set the next instruction (also aliased as <<)
+    # throw an error if that is set, use insert for that use case
+    # return the instruction, so chaining works as one wants (not backwards)
+    def set_next nekst
+      raise "Next already set #{@next}" if @next
+      @next = nekst
+      nekst
+    end
+    alias :<< :set_next
+
+    # during translation we replace one by one
+    def replace_next nekst
+      old = @next
+      @next = nekst
+      @next.append old.next if old
+    end
+
+    # get the next instruction (without arg given )
+    # when given an interger, advance along the line that many time and return.
+    def next( amount = 1)
+      (amount == 1) ? @next : @next.next(amount-1)
+    end
+
+    # set the give instruction as the next, while moving any existing
+    # instruction along to the given ones's next.
+    # ie insert into the linked list that the instructions form
+    def insert instruction
+      instruction.set_next @next
+      @next = instruction
+    end
+
+    # return last set instruction. ie follow the linked list until it stops
+    def last
+      code = self
+      code = code.next while( code.next )
+      return code
+    end
+
+    # set next for the last (see last)
+    # so append the given code to the linked list at the end
+    def append code
+      last.set_next code
+    end
+
+    def length labels = []
+      ret = 1
+      ret += self.next.length( labels ) if self.next
+      ret
+    end
+
+  end
+end
diff --git a/lib/mom/instruction.rb b/lib/mom/instruction.rb
index ba66ec5f..4cf511f7 100644
--- a/lib/mom/instruction.rb
+++ b/lib/mom/instruction.rb
@@ -2,21 +2,21 @@ module Mom
 
   # Base class for MOM instructions
   class Instruction
-    attr :next_instruction
+    include Common::List
 
     # implement flatten as noop to avoid condition
-    def flatten
+    def flatten( options = {} )
+      return self
     end
   end
 
   # A label with a name
-  class Label
+  class Label < Instruction
     attr_reader :name
     def initialize(name)
       @name = name
     end
   end
-
 end
 
 require_relative "simple_call"
diff --git a/lib/rubyx.rb b/lib/rubyx.rb
index 5c68e676..cdbe0fd4 100644
--- a/lib/rubyx.rb
+++ b/lib/rubyx.rb
@@ -14,6 +14,6 @@ require "risc"
 require "risc/builtin/space"
 require "arm/arm_machine"
 require "arm/translator"
-require "common/statements"
+require "common"
 require "vool"
 require "mom"