If I had that experience like you had, I think I would spend the rest of my life terrified. I remember as a child I was always afraid to go down into our basement alone. I think it was because of the horrible stories that are considered to be children's stories.

Your description of going up to the roof reminds me of the time I was visiting Greece and there was a thunder storm. I was down 2 or 3 floors from the roof of an apartment building and saw water flowing down the stairs, so I went up to investigate. The water was from heavy rain. Someone had left the window open at the top of the stairway that leads to the roof. I was just reaching for the window to close it when lightning struck real close (probably the lightning rod of the building). The noise and flash of light was so strong it almost made me jump out of my skin! I closed the window and ran back downstairs, thankful to still be alive. That memory is now imprinted in my brain forever.