The word “next” functions as a versatile tool in literature, serving to connect events, ideas, and spaces in a fluid and dynamic way. It often marks temporal progression, as seen when authors indicate what happens following a particular moment—“the next township” in [1], “next day” in [2] and [3], or even “next morning” in [4] and [5]. In narrative sequences, it orders items or actions, whether listing creatures in a hierarchy as in [6] or outlining steps in an argument or process as in [7] and [8]. “Next” can also denote spatial proximity or relationship, such as positioning characters near one another in [9] and [10], or setting up transitions between scenes and topics, as found in [11] and [12]. This array of uses shows how “next” is instrumental in guiding the reader through shifts in time, space, or emphasis across a text.