There IS actually a sensible explanation as to why phoning farther away
places can cost less (like nothing) than close ones. Phone wires don't
lead directly from each area to each other area. It would take a lot of
redundant wire. Instead your calls go into a "hub" and lines go out of
that hub to other phone areas served by your hub, and also to other hubs.
Therefore, in your example it could be that the call goes from Seattle
to Carnation (where a hub would be located) and from there to Bellevue.
This would make Bellevue actually farther away than Carnation if Bellevue
is on one of the lines that radiate out from Carnation.
Neil