diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index 71189f7..e781093 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@
     "babel-preset-stage-2": "6.24.1",
     "gh-pages": "1.2.0",
     "node-sass": "4.9.2",
-    "parcel-bundler": "1.9.7",
+    "parcel-bundler": "1.9.8",
     "rimraf": "2.6.2"
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/js/app.js b/src/js/app.js
index 1371ede..ded65a2 100644
--- a/src/js/app.js
+++ b/src/js/app.js
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-const fs = require('fs');
-
 //defines the AngularJS app as a module
 angular
   .module('westerosiApp', [
@@ -18,36 +16,36 @@ angular
       $stateProvider
         .state('about', {
           url: '/about',
-          template: fs.readFileSync('./src/partials/about.html', 'utf8')
+          template: require('../partials/about.html')
         })
         .state('houses', {
           url: '/houses',
-          template: fs.readFileSync('./src/partials/houseList.html', 'utf8'),
+          template: require('../partials/houseList.html'),
           controller: 'HouseListCtrl'
         })
         .state('newHouse', {
           url: '/newHouse',
-          template: fs.readFileSync('./src/partials/house.html', 'utf8'),
+          template: require('../partials/house.html'),
           controller: 'NewHouseCtrl'
         })
         .state('houses.item', {
           url: '/:item',
-          template: fs.readFileSync('./src/partials/house.html', 'utf8'),
+          template: require('../partials/house.html'),
           controller: 'OneHouseCtrl'
         })
         .state('characters', {
           url: '/characters',
-          template: fs.readFileSync('./src/partials/characterList.html', 'utf8'),
+          template: require('../partials/characterList.html'),
           controller: 'CharacterListCtrl'
         })
         .state('newCharacter', {
           url: '/newCharacter',
-          template: fs.readFileSync('./src/partials/character.html', 'utf8'),
+          template: require('../partials/character.html'),
           controller: 'NewCharacterCtrl'
         })
         .state('characters.item', {
           url: '/:item',
-          template: fs.readFileSync('./src/partials/character.html', 'utf8'),
+          template: require('../partials/character.html'),
           controller: 'OneCharacterCtrl'
         });
     }
diff --git a/src/js/directives.js b/src/js/directives.js
index 53c24f5..721bde9 100644
--- a/src/js/directives.js
+++ b/src/js/directives.js
@@ -1,5 +1,3 @@
-const fs = require('fs');
-
 //defines the AngularJS app as a module
 angular
   .module('westerosiApp')
@@ -12,7 +10,7 @@ angular
   .directive('navBar', function() {
     return {
       restrict: 'E',
-      template: fs.readFileSync('./src/partials/nav.html', 'utf8'),
+      template: require('../partials/nav.html'),
       controller: ["$scope", "$location", function($scope, $location) {
         $scope.isActive = function(route) {
           return route === $location.path();