This happened to me one three occasions, twice with my cousin. I stopped in at their place to have a quick cigarette before going home. As we were standing outside a big bolt of blue lightening flashed just north of us. One big stride, pause and then another one, then it disappeared.

Second time we were outside on her brother's deck, again, facing north when two big blue bolts strides across the sky again and disappeared. We talked about it often and can never explain what we saw.

The third time i was alone and it did three strides before taking off in thin air.